What Language Do Dogs Think In? Word Recognition Explained

All dog parents have likely wondered at some point how their canine companion’s mind works. One of the most common questions about canine psychology is whether or not dogs think in language as humans do. On the other hand, some wonder: “Do dogs think in barks?”

In short, dogs do not think in words, languages, or barks, but there’s much more to the story, and it could surprise you to learn how similar dogs are to us in terms of how they think. In this post, we’ll explore how dogs understand language and how this shapes the way they respond to and interact with us.

 

Do Dogs Understand Human Language?

To an extent, yes. Dogs are capable of understanding words that are associated with certain actions like “sit”, “come”, and “stay”, for example. Some dogs even learn words for items, like toys. This understanding comes from repetition and the creation of associations between words and actions and/or objects.

If we think about it in more depth, though, the word itself alone might not convey as much meaning to our dogs as the tone and body language we use to accompany that word. For example, if you frown and say “No!” in a low voice when inappropriate behavior occurs, your dog is likely to adopt a guilty expression and scuttle away sheepishly.

On the other hand, if you adopt a high, happy tone and say “Good dog!”, your dog may wag their tail happily and lick you in response. Dogs are experts at reading human tone, body language, and even facial expressions like smiles and frowns. All these factors go together to convey meaning to your dog, and this is what they understand rather than just the word in itself.

What Do the Experts Say?

According to a study by Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary, though dogs process language in a similar way to humans, dogs don’t distinguish between a word that is commonly used to give a command (like “sit”) and a nonsense word that sounds similar to it. The researchers suggest that dogs process words in a similar way to young infants up to around 14 months old.

On the flip side, some scientists theorize that dogs can actually understand what some words mean regardless of intonation. In one case, a Border Collie named Rico was proven to be able to understand the words for over 200 items and could learn words after hearing them once. This is a pretty rare phenomenon, however, but Rico is not the only dog to have shown this ability.

Do Dogs Use Both Sides of the Brain?

Yes, they do. As is the case with humans, the left side and right side of the brain cooperate to give meaning to meanings to words, since the left side deals with the meaning of words while the right side processes the tone and emotion used to say the words. This is why dogs are thought to process language similarly to humans.

Can Dogs Understand Full Sentences?

Research has suggested that dogs don’t understand full sentences in the same way that humans do, but that they can decipher the meaning of a sentence from a single word within that sentence.

For example, if you were to say “It’s time for dinner!” in an enthusiastic tone, your dog would take the familiar word “dinner” from that sentence and understand that it’s time to eat (provided they’ve already made the association between the word “dinner” and the act of eating).

How Do Dogs Understand the World & People?

A dog’s behaviors are shaped by motivations and instincts. For example, if you have a treat in your hand, your dog may sit when you ask them to because they know that they want to get that treat. However, if you take the treat away and ask your dog to sit, you might not get the same result.

Another example: for dogs with a high prey drive, if they see a rabbit while out in the countryside, they may be unable to resist the desire to give chase. This comes down to the natural instinct to hunt. These age-old instincts passed down from dogs’ wild ancestors are ever present, even though domestic dogs have no need to hunt for their food.

Dogs also gain an understanding of the world around them by using their senses, especially their sense of smell. A dog’s nose is a powerful sensory tool that gives them information about their surroundings. They can also pick up visual cues performed by their owners, like patting your knees to encourage them to come to you.

Finally, dogs are very intuitive animals that can pick up on your emotions. According to research, they can read facial expressions, pick up on emotions in your voice, and even smell emotions like happiness and fear.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, dogs don’t think in any kind of language and instead learn verbal and visual cues to associate words with actions and things. When it comes to what goes on in a dog’s brain, nothing is definite, but a dog’s thoughts might relate to a variety of needs like food, companionship, play, mental and physical exercise, shelter, and staying safe.

Dogs are also very curious about new things and have an innate desire to know more about them, which is where their powerful sense of smell comes into play. They experience and react to a range of emotions, including fear, happiness, sadness, and, of course, love! Just because these highly intelligent animals don’t think in words doesn’t mean they don’t have a keen sense of the world and the people around them.

See Also:

• Do Dogs Think Stuffed Animals Are Real? Signs & Reasons
• Do Dogs Think About the Past? Canine Memory Explained

---

Featured Image Credit: Anne Richard, Shutterstock