Some super-smart dogs can learn new words just by listening to humans talk

Some super-smart dogs may be able to pick up new words simply by listening to people talk, much like young children do, CNN reported, citing new research.

Scientists studied a small group of so-called “Gifted Word Learner” dogs, animals already known for recognising the names of many toys.

Their owners first taught them the names of two unfamiliar toys by repeatedly using the words while playing with them. In just a few minutes spread over several short sessions, most of the dogs were able to remember the new names and fetch the correct toys on request.

The real test came when the dogs were no longer being addressed directly. Their owners used the toy names in normal sentences while passing the toys between themselves, carefully avoiding eye contact or interaction with the dogs. 

The animals were kept behind safety gates or in beds so they could not reach the toys. Even under these conditions, seven of the ten dogs later selected the right toys, showing they had learned the names simply by overhearing.

In a further experiment, the toys were hidden in buckets before their names were spoken. Most of the dogs still chose correctly, and they remembered the words even two weeks later.

Researchers say this flexible learning shows a deep sensitivity to human communication. However, the skill is rare. When the same test was given to Border Collies with no previous word knowledge, none succeeded.

These gifted dogs, found across several breeds, can learn multiple toy names each week and remember them for years. Scientists are still unsure why they have this remarkable ability, but it appears to set them apart from typical family pets.