Playing with dogs is not only enjoyable but also a crucial part of their learning process. Dogs, being social creatures, interpret the world through visual cues and scent signals. Their vocabulary typically expands by interacting with owners, often picking up words that hold significance to them, such as “walk” or “fetch.”
However, a select group of dogs have been identified as “gifted word learners,” capable of grasping over 100 words. A recent study, featured in the journal Science, delves into the extent of words these dogs can comprehend. According to Shany Dror, a post-doctoral researcher at E.L.T.E. University in Budapest and the Veterinary University of Vienna, the number of toys a dog can recognize appears limitless, constrained only by the owner’s patience and available toy space.
While this aptitude is uncommon, the research team identified around 40 to 45 dogs worldwide with the capacity to learn more than 100 words. These dogs could distinguish between 200 to 300 toy names, with one exceptional case understanding over 1,000 toy-related terms. Dror clarified that this ability is not breed-specific, although a majority of the adept dogs were Border Collies.
Dr. Dror mentioned, “We’ve seen breeds that were not bred to work with humans, for example, Pekingese, Shih Tzu. We’ve seen a few Yorkshire Terriers that are able to do this.”
Exceptional Dogs in Canada
Miso, a seven-year-old Border Collie from Oshawa, Ont., stands out among these extraordinary dogs. His owner, Veronica Suen, initially underestimated Miso’s intelligence since he was her first dog.
Suen shared, “When he was a puppy, I’d be trying to do other things, but he would want to play all the time. So I would just, in my own lazy little way, be like, ‘Oh, can you bring me the ball? Can you get me the frisbee?’ And he would do it — and I, I didn’t think it was anything special.”
Upon discovering Dror’s Genius Dog Challenge online, which sought dogs recognizing 10 or more toy names, Suen realized Miso’s extraordinary abilities.
Participating in multiple studies with Dror, Miso now associates
