Gifted word learner dogs can learn the names of new toys simply by overhearing their owners talk about them, according to a new study published in the journal Science. This ability suggests these dogs possess sociocognitive skills comparable to those of 18-month-old human toddlers, the study's authors stated.

The research builds upon previous work by Claudia Fugazza of Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, who has been studying canine behavior and cognition for several years as part of the Genius Dog Challenge. Fugazza's team's 2022 study, for example, found that dogs store key sensory features about their toys, such as their appearance and smell, and use these features to recall and retrieve the named toy.

The current study indicates that these gifted word learner (GWL) dogs exhibit a remarkable ability to learn the names of objects. Most dogs can learn simple action cues like "sit" or "down," but GWL dogs can learn the names of specific toys so well that they can retrieve them from a large pile of toys on command.

Prior studies had shown the capacity of some dogs to learn object names, but this new research highlights their ability to learn through passive observation, similar to how young children acquire language. This eavesdropping ability further distinguishes GWL dogs from their less linguistically gifted counterparts. The research team continues to investigate the cognitive abilities of these exceptional dogs to better understand the factors that contribute to their unique skill set.