Dogs learn words like children

Scientists from Hungary have discovered that a rare group of "genius dogs" can learn the names of toys and other objects simply by eavesdropping on human conversations. These animals, which underwent a series of experiments, quickly absorb hundreds of words without direct training, similar to the abilities of children aged 1.5 to 2 years. Ten dogs participated in the experiment and were able to quickly learn new names even for hidden objects, based solely on heard voices. According to researchers, such abilities depend on genetics and experience, and dogs could become an ideal model for studying human language development.

Context

The "Genius Dogs" hypothesis is based on observations that some animals can acquire human vocabulary without direct training, opening up prospects in the field of neuro-linguistic science.