Whilst dog owners may often forget the moniker of their pet’s favourite squeaky toy, a new study conducted by researchers reveals that these names are etched into the long-term memory of the dogs.
The implication of this discovery adds new dimensions to our understanding of canine cognition and the astonishing ability of some dogs, demonstrated by a border collie named Chaser, to learn the names of over 1,000 objects. For instance, Shany Dror of Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary, the study’s lead author, suggests that these findings not only reveal that the dogs store the names of their toys in their long-term memory but also carry evolution implications of human language.
Five different dogs were studied in this venture, all of which had successfully learned the names of 12 toys in earlier research. After two years, the toys were reintroduced. This process of reintroduction consisted of allowing the dogs to inspect the toys followed by a testing phase. Despite a two-year gap, the dogs were able to pick out the correct toys with a success rate of up to 60%, a figure significantly above chance expectation.
These amazing rates of success were particularly driven by four of the five dogs, who were able to recall the names of between three to nine of their test toys. However, Dror was quick to point out that not every dog carries this skill, with the factors behind this ability remaining elusive.
Although the key to unlocking this skill remains uncertain, it is notable that dogs demonstrating the ability often had heartfelt relations with their owners. As nicely put by Dror, “The more you invest in your dog, the more you will get back from the relationship.”
