Dogs come in many varieties! Some struggle to remember the commands “sit” and “lie down,” while others listen attentively to their owners. But how many words can your four-legged friends understand?
Canadian researchers conducted a survey among 165 dog owners of various breeds to find out which words and phrases their pets understand. As part of the study, scientists also observed the dogs' reactions to spoken commands. The results showed that, on average, dogs understand about 89 words, although one participant in the experiment knew as many as 215! The minimum number of words familiar to a dog was 15.
Researchers note that dogs most often respond to commands such as “sit,” “roll over,” and “lie down.” Additionally, they “understand” their name, the words “no,” “good,” “stay,” and others.
However, the authors of the study acknowledge that achieving such a level of understanding likely requires formal training for the dogs.
When analyzing the data by breed, it was found that herding dogs, such as the Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, and German Shepherd, as well as companion dogs, including Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Chihuahua, are capable of responding to a greater number of words and phrases compared to other breeds.
“Dogs, due to their evolutionary history and close relationships with humans, have learned to respond to both verbal and non-verbal signals,” the authors concluded. “Their ability to respond to communicative signals plays a key role in the professional and familial functions that dogs perform in our lives.”
Leave a comment