Discover the Shared Traits of Exceptional Dogs in a New Study

Have you ever wondered if your dog is gifted in some way? The latest scientific research has shown that some dogs have an extraordinary talent for learning the names of hundreds of dog toys. Until recently, very little was known about these dogs due to the rarity of this ability. Most studies that documented this involved only one or two dogs. However, new findings have brought to light the extraordinary characteristics of these exceptional pups.

A recently published study in the journal Scientific Reports, conducted by researchers from the Family Dog Project (ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest), provides new insights into these exceptionally talented dogs and their unique abilities.

During their five-year study, researchers from the Family Dog Project searched worldwide for dogs with this rare learning talent. To do so, in 2020, they even launched a social media campaign and shared their experiments in the hope of finding more gifted dogs who have the ability to learn the names of various toys.

“This was a citizen science project,” explains Dr. Claudia Fugazza, team leader. “When a dog owner told us they thought their dog knew toy names, we gave them instructions on how to self-test their dog and asked them to send us the video of the test.”

“In the questionnaire, we asked the owners about their dog’s life experience, their own experience in raising and training dogs, and about the process by which the dog came to learn the names of his/her toys,” explains Dr. Andrea Sommese, co-author.

Despite facing several challenges, the researchers were successful in finding 41 dogs from 9 different countries, a majority of which were Border Collies followed by dogs from non-working breeds such as Pomeranians, Pekingese, Shih Tzus, Corgis, Poodles, and mixed breeds. Read more

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