Does anybody know what an adult dog's capacity is for understanding words? I have to spell certain words in front of my dog like p-a-r-k, g-o, r-i-d-e or he gets all excited and will drive me nuts running around barking and looking at me with expectant eyes. What words does your dog understand?
2006-07-10 22:58:34 · 20 answers · asked by starrynight1 7 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I'd say about a dozen words but I had an older dog, when I was a kid, that had to recognize over 100 words. It was amazing and we had to spell a lot of words around her. I disagree with the post that said they do not really understand words. That dog even started learning when it heard us on the phone...she'd get excited as she heard you say something that she recognized. She even started learning when we spelled things what they meant after awhile. She lived to be 18.
2006-07-10 23:10:33 · answer #1 · answered by sj_amicus 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
about 3
2006-07-10 23:02:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs understanding capacity depends on the breed of dogs and also the kind of training they get. Some dogs don't require the words to be spelled out and can understand more than 50 words.
2006-07-10 23:12:58 · answer #3 · answered by viper4in 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Listen, my dog understands so many words (besides the basic commands and words for tricks) if he could speak we would carry on a conversation. Granted, the conversation would be about food, playing or squirrels but........... One time I thought I was being slick and ask the love of my life, "should I give him a C-O-O-K-I-E " (meaning dog biscuit) and he ran straight to the cookie (biscuit) jar, hit it with his nose and grinned at me. This is an absolute 100% true story. I just looked at him and said,"oh. so now you can spell?" he grinned some more and wagged his tail.
He understands the following: Do you want to go out? Are you hungry? Do you want to eat? Pizza. Chinese. Burger. Chicken. Go look out the window. Open the door. Squirrel. Bird. Cookie. Leash. Housie (crate). Blankie (blanket). Sockie (a toy). Fix your leg (when the leash gets under the front leg). Ride. He knows family members names. I can't even think of all the things he understands. Aren't they great?
2006-07-11 00:33:57 · answer #4 · answered by Stick to Pet Rocks 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your dog doesn't really understand exactly what you are saying, but he does associate the words with individual things. It is more of the sound of the word, that is the pitch, tone, etc.
I understand what you are saying though, I have to spell g-o around my dog, or o-u-t-s-i-d-e, or she freaks out too.
However, I can say go in a normal conversation and she is fine.
They learn to associate the sound with context, therefore, if you are heading out the door, and you ask your friend if they are going, your dog will spazz. Whereas, if you are on the phone and you tell your friend that you will go, your dog is fine.
They are odd creatures, smart as whips (well, most of them...LOL)
2006-07-10 23:03:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Way too many to count and far more than I'd like them to.
You don't have to say park cos they know every one within 55 miles from home and have no problem letting us know when we're close.
But let's see.McDonald's,Burger King,Dairy Queen,Bye-Bye,puppy park,Puppy Dr.,hot dog,dinner,lunch,swimming,pool,bathroom,poo box,kitty toys,they can tell the difference between the big and little balls and will bring the one requested.hose,bedtime,puppy cookies,puppy treats,you can't go this time,stay out of the pool,move over,puppy hug,mommy or daddy's comin home,cigarettes,back up,and a whole lot more I can't think of off the top of my head.
They don't just understand words but entire sentences.If I say we'll go as soon as I make a phone call they'll go lay down and wait for me patiently before I head to the phone.If I say we'll go but I have to go potty first they run ahead of me to the bathroom.
2006-07-11 03:07:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm going to guess that with any of my four dogs, I'm definitely in the triple digits. I suppose I'll have to actually count them to know for sure. We can't even spell some words any more, because they've been figured out (one of them is B-A-L-L, but they're Golden Retrievers, so that's hardly surprising). - g^2
2006-07-11 00:29:00 · answer #7 · answered by ex-geek now trains dogs 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have an 8yr old Border Collie mix and a 9 month old Maltese/ Shih Tzu mix. They get excited at the words: potty, let's go, bye-bye, get-him, outside, inside. Sometimes I forget and I get them all excited by accident and it makes me feel so horrible! They hate it when people yell or say "no-no" LOL. They cower when it happens and I just try to love on them to show everything is okay.
2016-03-15 22:32:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dog understands not just words, but my behaviour also - like when I get ready for work, they all sit there and mope on the sofa!.. they understand 'Charlie' for when I go to my aunt's house to see her dog; 'other dogs' when we go to the dog run (leash free area); of course 'treat', and 'where is 'baby'? All my dogs get excited and go search for my son - though nine years old, they still go by 'baby'.
2006-07-10 23:54:10 · answer #9 · answered by Meg S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my dog understands about 10 words
dish
outside
down
and words like that.
2006-07-10 23:00:26 · answer #10 · answered by � Fuzzy Dice 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋