You have probably encountered the opinion, that much more important than what you’re saying to your dog is how you’re saying it (the tone). But it shows, that dogs are able to understand the human language much better, than we generally credit them for.
This theory is based on a new study of researchers at the University of Loránd Eötvös in Budapest, which has been published in the Science magazine at the end of August.
The experiment took place on thirteen family dogs who live with their owners, mainly on border collies and Golden retrievers. The research workers trained the dogs to sit inside an fMRI scanner, which measures the activity of the brain.
The scientists recorded the voice of the trainer saying phrases in various kinds of intonation. They recorded a general phrase for praise with an approving tone, but also a number of neutral words with a neutral tone of voice including conjunctions, which don’t bear any specific meaning. They recorded also praises with a neutral tone and neutral phrases and words with an approving tone. Then, the scientists monitored the brain waves of the dogs, while they played them the recorded phrases.
To their surprise, they found out, that dogs process the words and the intonation used separately, in different parts of the brain. When they heard familiar words of praise, the active one was the left hemisphere of the brain – that one that is used by humans to process language. This activity occurred irrespectively of the tone that the trainer used.
The dogs reacted to the intonation of the phrase, however, in the right hemisphere – same as humans. Therefore, despite it seemed, that dogs process words irrespectively of the intonation, the tone that was used was not irrelevant.
The dog “centre of reward”, where positive attention is processed or, for example, food is processed as well, was stimulated, when the individuals heard words of praise with a positive intonation. In other words, dog will recognize praise irrespectively of the tone that it is being said in, but they register it as positive attention only in the case it is said using a positive tone.
The head researcher stated in his opinion, that praise can very well function as a reward, but it best works with positive intonation, or when the meaning of the words and the tone correlate. Not only do the dogs distinguish what we are saying and how we are saying it, but they can also connect both for correct interpretation of the meaning. Again, it is true, that this principle is very similar to the one, that is used by the human brain.
The results of the research necessarily don’t prove, that dogs understand the precise meaning of all the known words, but apart from other things, it implies, that they are capable of distinguishing between words that they have heard before and words that they have never heard.
Naturally, dog owner have long known, that they can use word commands to train the dogs and to communicate with them. But the head of research explains, that even the reaction of dogs on these commands are often difficult to separate from the tone of the voice and the body language.
Therefore, the main result of the study is not, that dogs can distinguish words, but that they distinguish words that are meaningful or meaningless for them, with the left brain hemisphere playing a major part.
And what about you, do you feel, like I do, that your furry friend often understands you only too well, and sometimes they don’t understand a thing (usually depending on what is more convenient for them at the moment :) )?
A dog’s coat is one of its greatest characteristics that requires great care. It does not matter whether your canine companion is a short-haired or long-haired dog. Attention is required by all of them. How to take care of dog fur and what to do...
In the previous article, we wrote about what rescuing people entails and which dog breeds are suitable for searching for people in collapsed buildings. This topic is so interesting that we decided to focus even more on dog training itself, i.e. on the...
Guinea pig shows are an attractive opportunity for breeders. In addition to the animal displaying itself, guinea pig lovers get to meet and share valuable knowledge and experience. If you have a guinea pig at home, you may have considered taking part...
Let’s be clear, cats are carnivores by nature. They love meat. It is completely natural for them. Meat must be the basis of their daily nutrition. A cat cannot live without meat! Cats instinctively prefer foods high in meat. Feeds with meat aroma and...
There are questions that run through a person’s mind upon seeing dogs searching for people lost in the woods, stuck under the rubble of a collapsed building or drowning in a reservoir. How difficult is it for a dog to find such people? Can I train my...
It is an unenviable situation no four-legged companion´s owner would like to get into. When your dog runs astray during a walk, for example because it discovers a hole in the fence or senses another animal that catches its attention, many of us panic...
Probably most of us know dog exhibitions including the organization thereof. However, even guinea pig owners can participate at an exhibition. How do such events work and what is their main principle? How do I prepare my guinea pig for an exhibition...
Not only the Thai cats appearance but also their nature is exceptional. They are communicative, social and together with the owner, they can establish a strong relationship full of boundless trust. However, at the same time, this breed is facing...
We, humans, do take care of our bodies and our health. If our knee hurts, we go to the orthopaedist, if our back hurts for a long time, we probably start considering physiotherapy. The need to go to inspections regularly increases with the level of...
At dog shows, many dog lovers meet to show off with their beloved pets of pure breed. However, such events are not only beauty pageants as they could seem. They are also important for breeding and for pure-bred dog to mate. What happens on such shows...
One of the most important parts of Christmas is Christmas Eve’s dinner. For example in the Czech Republic, it usually includes fish soup, fried carp or schnitzel and potato salad. However, the most important thing is that all loved ones should be at...
At Christmas, we want to make our loved ones, those who are our loyal companions throughout the whole year, happy. It also applies to our furry friends. If you have a cat at home and you are thinking about what to give it at Christmas, we have a...
