Whether it’s a Labrador, a Pug, or a Chow Chow, most owners have at some point proclaimed that their dog is a “smart boy or girl.”
But for a truly “gifted” dog, there are two key signs to look out for, according to a new study.
Researchers at Eotvos Lorand University say the first sign is their ability to remember the names of hundreds of objects.
But to be considered truly “gifted,” they must also be able to remember some names for at least two years.
According to researchers, Border Collies are the dogs most likely to have these “special” talents.
Whether it’s a Labrador, a Pug or a Chow Chow, most owners have at some point proclaimed their dog to be a “smart boy or girl.” But for a truly “gifted” dog, there are two key signs to look for, according to a new study.
Research has already shown that a small number of dogs known as gifted word learners (GWL) have a unique ability to memorize the names of hundreds of objects.
Now, experts have discovered a small group of Border Collies that can remember some of these names for at least two years.
And the hope is that the talented dogs could help scientists understand more about how animals other than humans retain their memories.
Dr Claudia Fugazza, head of the research group at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary, said: “We know that dogs can remember events for at least 24 hours and smells for up to a year, but this is the first study to show that some talented dogs can remember words for at least two years.”
Research has already shown that a small number of dogs known as gifted word learners (GWL) have a unique ability to memorize the names of hundreds of objects.
For the study, the team analyzed the behavior of five Border Collies: Gaia, Max, Whiskey, Squall and Rico.
These GWL dogs had learned and remembered the names of several toys and were tested again two years later.
Researchers said a “remarkable” four out of five dogs remembered the names of between 60 and 75 percent of the toys after two years, with Gaia performing best.
As a group, the dogs’ performance averaged 44 percent correct choices, which is significantly above chance level, the team added.
Dr Shany Dror, lead researcher on the study, said: ‘We waited two years and then decided to test the dogs again to see if they still remembered the names of the toys.
‘As so much time has passed, some owners have lost some toys. Therefore, three dogs were tested with 12 toys, one dog with 11 and one dog with five.
“After two years, we all had trouble remembering the names of the toys, but the dogs didn’t. They didn’t seem to have any trouble remembering them.”
The research is part of a project known as the Genius Dog Challenge, and scientists are urging owners who think their dogs know several toy names to contact them via the project’s website.
Dr Fugazza added: “The findings from our current study cannot be generalised to other dogs because we only tested GWL dogs, individuals that show a special talent for acquiring object words.”