Does My Dog Understand Words or Just React to Commands?
The question of how smart a dog really is depends on who you ask. I've heard people remark on how smart their dog is and I have also heard people say how dumb their dog is. Personally, I think how much a dog understands words depends on how much time we spend teaching them our human vocabulary. Sure, most people teach the sit and stay commands, and that is just a matter of repetition. What about other words?
Dogs Learn Words by Repetition
An article on Animal Planet states that a dog can learn to understand nearly 100 words. They compare the dogs understanding to that of a 3-year-old child. I have known many 3-year-old children and each one of them will have a different understanding of words and their concept of those words. If parents spend a lot of time talking to them, the child will learn words faster. A dog's ability to understand a large amount of words probably depends on the same thing.
My Shih Tzu by know means has a vocabulary understanding of 100 words or more, but he does understand a lot more words then some dogs do. Do I think he is some kind of wonder dog? Not hardly, but I have spent a lot of time with him and talk to him just like I would a person. I am sure he has learned to understand words simply by action and repetition.
Words Mean an Action to Dogs
When I say "mailbox or get the mail" my dog jumps up and knows exactly where to go. I don't think he understands the concept of the big box at the end of the driveway that we get stuff out of, but he does understand what action results from those words. When he was just a puppy, I would carry him to the mailbox telling him, "Get the mail." When he got older he knew "get the mail" meant we were putting on the leash and going to that thing at the end of the driveway. I don't think he understood what mail was, but he understood what we were about to do because of repetition.
Think of your dog as a new born baby. A baby will soon learn the word mommy or daddy because that is the words they hear the most. The baby wasn't born knowing the word, he or she was taught to associate it with you. A dog is the same way. The more you repeat the word to your dog the sooner he will learn to associate it with a meaning, especially if there is an action involved.
Dogs do have the ability to learn an amazing amount of words, but whether they really can depends on how much time their pet parent spends teaching them the words. It's all a matter of time, patience and repetition. So, go talk to your dog, he really is listening and learning.
More by this writer:
Moving with Your Pet: Things You Need to Research
Adjusting Your Pet to Daylight Savings Time
Tips for Raising a Young Hyper Puppy with an Older Dog
Dogs Learn Words by Repetition
An article on Animal Planet states that a dog can learn to understand nearly 100 words. They compare the dogs understanding to that of a 3-year-old child. I have known many 3-year-old children and each one of them will have a different understanding of words and their concept of those words. If parents spend a lot of time talking to them, the child will learn words faster. A dog's ability to understand a large amount of words probably depends on the same thing.
My Shih Tzu by know means has a vocabulary understanding of 100 words or more, but he does understand a lot more words then some dogs do. Do I think he is some kind of wonder dog? Not hardly, but I have spent a lot of time with him and talk to him just like I would a person. I am sure he has learned to understand words simply by action and repetition.
Words Mean an Action to Dogs
When I say "mailbox or get the mail" my dog jumps up and knows exactly where to go. I don't think he understands the concept of the big box at the end of the driveway that we get stuff out of, but he does understand what action results from those words. When he was just a puppy, I would carry him to the mailbox telling him, "Get the mail." When he got older he knew "get the mail" meant we were putting on the leash and going to that thing at the end of the driveway. I don't think he understood what mail was, but he understood what we were about to do because of repetition.
Think of your dog as a new born baby. A baby will soon learn the word mommy or daddy because that is the words they hear the most. The baby wasn't born knowing the word, he or she was taught to associate it with you. A dog is the same way. The more you repeat the word to your dog the sooner he will learn to associate it with a meaning, especially if there is an action involved.
Dogs do have the ability to learn an amazing amount of words, but whether they really can depends on how much time their pet parent spends teaching them the words. It's all a matter of time, patience and repetition. So, go talk to your dog, he really is listening and learning.
More by this writer:
Moving with Your Pet: Things You Need to Research
Adjusting Your Pet to Daylight Savings Time
Tips for Raising a Young Hyper Puppy with an Older Dog
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION:
The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.
The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.
Published by Donna Thacker - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Donna is an award- winning fiction author, recently published with Twin Trinity Media. While she enjoys writing fiction, Donna also has a knack for writing informative articles that show her knowledge and p... View profile
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3 Comments
Post a CommentI agree with you. My current dog does not seem to understand as much as my previous dog. I raised my previous dog from 6 weeks of age. We adopted the dog we have now at nearly 2 years of age. My previous dog was very smart at least in my opinion. I could ask her what she wanted and she would take me to her food bowl, her water bowl, to her treat jar or outside. Sometimes she would even gesture with her head towards the counter top if there was meat up there that she wanted a taste of. She would also roll on to her back when I asked her where her belly was. Plus she did several other remarkable things and seemed to understand many words.
Very good article. Animals are smart and they can learn another language like anyone else. Easy to understand and respond to - harder to try and speak it. Flag loves to get the leash on her collar and walk to the mailbox with me.
Merry Christmas!
Intriguing article. :)