How Much Do Dogs Really Understand of What We Say?

PJ Media ^ | 12/11/2020 | Rick Moran

[Mr. Jeeves]

It’s clear that “Don’t pee on the floor” is far too complex an instruction for them to follow. :)

[bk1000]

Some dogs heard “laurel”, others heard “yani”, but they all heard “cookie”.

[struggle]

They definitely understand “walk” and “treat”

[Bulwyf]

I’d ask my hound, but he’s been missing since yesterday.

[unixfox]

My dog doesn’t understand the words “come here” but clearly understands the words “are you hungry.”

[Salamander]

:(

[Georgia Girl 2]

My dog knows “do you want to get your sweater on”, “do you want to get a bath”, “go to Pop” “do you want to go out” and “go get in your bed”.

[eastforker]

Let’s turn it around. Can humans really know what dogs are saying to us when they use certain sounds to communicate? No one else may know what my dog is saying because they don’t speak the same language as he and I do.

[super7man]

We had a Newfie, and I’m still not convinced he knew his name. Sweet dog, dumb as a post.

[usconservative]

I call bunk on this article. But let's move beyond that. I'll say this: all my dogs have been far more emotionally intelligent than the overwhelmingly majority of people I've known in my life.

I'm not sure if that's more a sad statement about the people I've known, or a statement on how little "science" actually knows about dogs.

[usconservative]

My dog doesn’t understand the words “come here” but clearly understands the words “are you hungry.”

The words "are you hungry" are also linked to the sound of any food wrapper being undone. Open a bag of chips and watch what happens. :-)

[NEMDF]

“Who’s a good boy?”

[unixfox]

The words "are you hungry" are also linked to the sound of any food wrapper being undone. Open a bag of chips and watch what happens. :-)

So I think we have solved the problem. I will just carry a bag of chips with me when we go on our walk. Thanks for the tip!

[circlecity]

I’ve read that dogs read your facial expression, voice tone and inflection as much or more in understanding you as they do the actual words you use.

[DrGunsforHands]

Also, they can smell different emotional states.

[Dr. Sivana]

Get any dog lover started on how intelligent his friend is and he won’t shut up.

That's funny, the dog lovers I know like to tell stories about how their dog is as dumb as a box of rocks. They love their dogs anyway, but not for their brains.

[allendale]

Its all about are they likely to get something to eat after the human goes through his or her visual and sound gyrations.

[BigEdLB]

And they do a fine job as navigator when GPS isn’t working right.

My buddy, Rufus