They are considered by many to be a man’s best friend, but scientists say dogs are actually selfish creatures who will play with owners, but not help them.

Researchers  from the University of Portsmouth studied 24 family dogs to see how useful they were to their owners, finding that they were more interested in themselves than coming to the aid of a human.

Scientists concluded that, although pooches sometimes helped their owners, it was "mainly self-interest that was driving the dogs’ behaviour."

To test each animal, a notebook somebody had been using was hidden in an opaque tub in one corner while the pet watched and the person left the room.
Big Malamute and Little Dachshund Play a Hilarious Game of Chase Play! 00:39

When the human returned and searched for their notebook,  if the dog indicated where it was, they were being helpful.

A toy was placed in another container in a different corner and, if the dog chose this, they were considered selfish.

Also hidden in a third corner was a stapler, used as a control - as it was considered neither selfish nor useful.

When the notebook user returned and searched for the item they had ‘lost’, the dogs indicated the toy more often than the notebook or stapler.

Of the latter two items, the canines were just as likely to go for one as the other.

Lead researcher Patrizia Piotti of the University of Portsmouth said: "We assessed whether dogs would abandon an object that they find interesting in favour of an object useful for their human partner, a random novel distractor, or an empty container.

"Results showed that it was mainly self-interest that was driving the dogs’ behaviour."

She added that, if there were no toys around, a different group of dogs were found to have better results.

They looked at the spot where the notepad was hidden for half a second longer than the stapler.

However this was only if the researcher was speaking to them in a high pitched voiced, suggesting the dogs were merely excited.
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The research was published in the journal PLoS ONE

Clive Wynne at Arizona State University in Tempe, said: "Does the dog take an interest in an object that a human is interested in, or only in objects that dogs are interested in?

"That got a clear-cut result: dogs only like objects that dogs like."

The study is not the first to suggest dogs are not a man's loyal companion.

In 2006, people pretended to have a heart attack and put themselves in other dangerous situations in front of their dogs - not a single one ran to a nearby person for help.
Dachshund
Scientists have said that hugging your dog might stress it out Credit: Paul Grover for The Telegraph

Another study has shown that dogs should never be hugged because they actually hate it.

Animal psychologists said dogs felt stressed and unhappy when embraced by their owners, because it stops having the option of running away.

The research is important as it has previously been argued that helpfulness was a uniquely human trait.

Goats may now replace dogs as man's best friend after a study last month found they formed the same emotional bond with their owners.

Research has found they are just as intelligent as their furry-pawed rivals, so perhaps the next step is for goats to prove they are more altruistic.