Some dogs learn new words by listening to our conversations

This phenomenon is reminiscent of the way in which children aged 18 to 23 months acquire language, suggesting that the 'smartest' dogs may be endowed with similar cognitive mechanisms.

A study published in Science and carried out by an international team led by ethologist Claudia Fugazza of Budapest's Eötvös Loránd University, has revealed a surprising fact: some particularly gifted dogs are able to learn the names of new objects simply by listening to their owners' conversations.

The study involved ten dogs who were particularly gifted with words. In the first experiment, the owners interacted directly with their pets, repeatedly introducing and naming two new toys. In the second experiment, the dogs observed their owners talking about the toys with another person, without participating directly.

In both cases, the dogs were able to hear the names of the toys for around eight minutes, divided into short sessions. Final tests showed that seven out of ten dogs correctly memorized the names of the new objects.

A rare talent and a combination of factors

To make the challenge more complex, the researchers hid the toys in a basket and only pronounced their names when the objects were not visible. Despite this separation between word and object, many animals were able to memorize the new words.

What's for more, the authors of the study point out that dogs with this memorization ability are extremely rare. This gift seems to result from a unique combination of genetic predisposition, individual experience and environmental stimuli. Not all dogs can learn in this way: the results observed are, in fact, exceptions, highlighting the broad cognitive potential present in certain species.

This research offers new perspectives on how pets can interact with humans. The possibility that some dogs listen to and understand new words without actively participating in the conversation could affect training, everyday communication and understanding of the human-dog bond.

Source : Science

(MP/©Science via GreenMe.it/Translation and adaptation: The Global Nature/Illustration: Victor G via Unsplash)