Wally wrote: <<... Obviously the best test would be using wild dogs or
wolves, but that would not be practical for most of us. >>

Yes, good point--domesticated dogs may have altered tastes due to years of
eating modern foods--but I figure that they are more objective subjects than
humans. Puppies who are just starting to eat meat would be the best test
among domesticated dogs.

<<(However, it should be noted that wolves - and bears - often raid garbage
cans containing all kinds of cooked and junk foods. ...>>

Yes, I know wild animals love modern foods and would often eat themselves to
death if foods like pancakes were easily available in the wild. I've seen a
dog inhale a pancake faster than the eye can see. It's suggestive that
cooked meat might be preferred to raw, though not conclusive. However, from
what has been reported here so far it is looking like dogs may prefer cooked
meat. If accurate, it's suggestive that taste and beta-carboline addiction
may have been a big factor in the development of cooking by humans--though
probably not to the degree that most scientists assume (because raw meat and
organs taste much better, when you are used to it, than most people realize). 

Also, cooked foods deliver more calories than raw, so early humans may have
consciously started doing more cooking as food (and therefore calories)
became scarcer.

I see that beta-carbolines are also found in plants:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-carboline. I'll bet cooking increases the
levels in plants too.

<<... in the interest of "science", I will test each dog with some cooked
beef and raw beef and report back any tendencies.>>

Thanks a million. I love it when science is put into action--as long as no
harm is done, of course.