2006-12-20 08:42:05 · 16 answers · asked by cajohnson667 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I think they can make associations. In fact I am pretty sure of that. Pavlov showed us that they can interpret sounds and assign meaning to them. However, I do not think they can actually understand every word that is said. Also, I don't think they actually understand the word, they just have assigned meaning to it.
Example: You say "play" to your dog everytime you go to the park with a ball. The dog will hear the noise "play" and begin to associate it with going to the park.
If you were to one day look to your dog and say "Let us go to the park and we shall toss the ball around and relax a little". Your dog will probably look at you but not understand that you meant "Play".
Instead of saying "play" you could say "homocide" every time you take the dog to the park to play. Soon the dog would associate the sound "homocide" with playing. Imagine the look on guest's faces when you say "homocide" to the dog and he gets all excited and wants to go out.
2006-12-20 08:50:01 · answer #1 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I never thought they did, but let me tell you what happened about a month ago. My son was watching my 10 month old puppy while I was out of town and would NOT come to me when I went to go get her (she ran the other way in fact). He lives on 2 acres, so it was not like we could corner her in a room. Anyway, my feelings were crushed and my daughter went up there the next day and retrieved her for me. When we got home, I stated that I have had enough and she was going to a new home a.s.a.p.!! No yelling, no waving of hands - nothing, but words. The very next day, she started sleeping on my feet while watching TV, lay her head in my lap, etc, etc, etc. The only logical answer to her remarkable turn around is that she UNDERSTOOD me.
2006-12-20 17:48:26 · answer #2 · answered by GP 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My own opinion is that they do. They don't understand us in complete sentences, but they detect certain tones, and do know certain words. We have 4 dogs and they probably know about 20-25 words (for certain). We can say those words in conversation and you can see them react when they hear those words. Many of those words are: Water, Food, Outside, Good, Bad, No, Go, Move, Sit, Stay, Chocolate (don't ask me why!), and they also know their names as well as our names. The list really can go on and on. Mostly the words they react to are words that pertain to them directly such as the ones listed above. I don't think that it means they ONLY understand those words, just that since those pertain to them directly, they let it be known that they understand. We can talk to them telling them how much we love them, etc... and we can also see a reaction in their faces.
So yes, dogs can really understand what you are saying, but probably not everything that you are saying.
2006-12-20 16:54:50 · answer #3 · answered by Kristi S 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Animals do not understand words as we do.
What they do is to associate certain words, which to them are just sounds, with certain actions that we expect. Mostly this is done through the tone of our voice and body language.
They learn very fast which words or phrases are associated with reward and which result in punishment.
Many dogs are exceptional when it comes to body language and certain actions. For example, I had a Sheltie who finally had to be placed in another room long before we were to go anywhere that she couldn't accompany us, because she had learned that not only keys, but walking towards the door, saying anything that had "go" or "ride" in it, putting on shoes and/or socks, and even changing clothes, all were associated with "going for a ride".
Some dogs will even begin to associate strings of words, not just one word or sound, with certain actions.
So, in summary, yes, they do understand, but not the same way as we understand.
If you have a dog, try this: tell them in a nice loving way that they have been a really bad dog and no. They'll have one of two reactions: either they'll be lovey-dovey because of your tone or else they'll look at you as if confused because they recognize the words "bad" and "no" but you aren't using them in the usual negative way that they have come to associate with them.
2006-12-20 17:00:27 · answer #4 · answered by Goyo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I really think it depends on the dog.
My former Bichon Frise, was as quick as a whip. I would ask her "What do you want?", and she would go to the table, or cupboard, or room so that I could retrieve what she wanted.
If I retrieved the wrong thing, she wouldn't touch it, but when I pulled out the right thing, off she would run with whatever it was firmly placed in her teeth.
When I told her I was going to work she never had an accident in the house, but if I told her I was going shopping and wasn't taking her along, she left me presents all over the house.
That was one smart puppy and she is forever and sorrily missed.
2006-12-20 16:57:25 · answer #5 · answered by D N 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
They can't understand what we are saying, but they can be taught to recognize certain sounds and relate them to certain things or activities through repetition and reward.
Kinda like with your cat when they know they are getting treats when you shake the can or wrinkle the bag and they come running.
2006-12-20 16:47:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
They associate words with what they've been trained to do--sit, roll over etc. They do not truly understand the meaning of the words, etc.
2006-12-20 16:53:50 · answer #7 · answered by Tracy S 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
we probably will never know
but STUDIES do indicate that no, they do not, but they do recognize our voice patterns and react when certain patterns are presented
(such as sit or stay, they hear "sit", but they recognize it as an action instead of a word, it's kinda hard to explain, but that's the best i can say it)
2006-12-20 16:53:11 · answer #8 · answered by Pops 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
tell you what, i have a hard time understanding what humans say at times, but my dogs know. i say sit, they do it i say shake they do it, i say go poop, the do it(if they have to) i say 'go for a ride' they run around like nutjobs and when i open the door they run at my truck, when i say' wann go outside and potty' they know...so yeah sure they do....the stuff you say over and over and over and over and over and over and over.....roll over dammit roll over and over...then they get it but thats training, if you start carrying on conversations with it then you may what to consider that what you think if your dog might actually be little voices in your head. but yea
2006-12-20 16:54:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
About the same as a 5year old child
2006-12-20 17:41:24 · answer #10 · answered by raven blackwing 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋