Dogs Can Understand Human Words Without Gestures and Context, Says Study

If you have been following social media trends recently, you might have noticed the viral videos featuring dogs using soundboard buttons to communicate with their owners. These videos often show dogs pressing buttons labelled with words like “outside,” “play,” or “food,” leading to claims that dogs can form near-sentences and make requests or alerts. While some sceptics have dismissed these claims as gimmicks, a new study from the University of California San Diego provides robust evidence supporting the idea that dogs genuinely understand these words.

Study Confirms Canine Understanding

Cognitive scientist Federico Rossano, who led the study at the Comparative Cognition Lab, clarifies that the research aims to dispel doubts about dogs’ comprehension of soundboard words. The team investigated whether dogs could understand specific words on the buttons, even when these words were spoken by unfamiliar researchers or through button presses, without relying on other cues.

In the study, two separate experiments involved dogs already trained to use a soundboard. One experiment had researchers visit the homes of 30 dogs, while the other involved 29 dog owners conducting the tests following specific instructions. The focus was on words related to “outside,” “play,” and “food.”

Key Findings

The findings revealed that dogs responded appropriately to the words on the soundboards. When the “play” button was pressed, dogs exhibited behaviours associated with play, and when “outside” was pressed, they showed behaviours suggesting they wanted to go outside. These responses occurred regardless of whether the word was spoken by an unfamiliar researcher or their owner.

However, the study did not find clear evidence that dogs responded to food-related words with food-seeking behaviours. Despite this, the results indicated that dogs understood and reacted to the words themselves rather than just responding to contextual signals, as per a report by Science Alert.

Future Research and Implications

This research underscores that dogs can indeed understand the words they encounter on soundboards, which could lead to further advancements in canine communication research. The study opens doors for more widespread participation in similar experiments, potentially involving dog owners globally to gather additional data.

Federico Rossano highlights that while earlier studies have shown that dogs can understand some words, this research isolates verbal cues from other contextual factors, providing a clearer picture of how dogs process these cues. Future studies will look into how dogs use sequences of button presses and the systematic use of these devices.

The study emphasises the value of observing animals in their everyday environments to gain a more accurate understanding of their abilities and communication skills.