Considered one of the smartest animals in the world, dogs are the best friends of mankind. Over 30,000 years, humans have raised dogs with their best care. Even though there are lots of animals that have been raised by humans, dogs are the representative example of pets. Humans have tried to commune with them by sharing their rules and food. Communication is also a main example of humans’ attempts to raise them. With these efforts, dogs are able to respond to our language. A large number of people assert that dogs can finally translate our language. However, some scientists have refuted that dogs can understand our language. Today, we will reveal the secrets of dogs.
The bottom line is that dogs are able to figure out our words. Then, how can dogs comprehend our language? There are several reasons why they are able to apprehend it. Just like human beings, dogs can learn some words by association and repetition. Association is a theory that studies how people form connections between behaviors and ideas. We say the word ‘sit’ to dogs to train them. When the dogs sit after we say this word, we give them a treat. At first, dogs may behave randomly when we say the word ‘sit’ to them. However, when they coincidentally sit, they get a reward. This reinforces their behavior, and the next time they hear the word ‘sit’, they will repeat the same behavior. Through repetition, dogs will be able to memorize this action, which will lead them to understand our word.
Moreover, dogs can respond to our voice tone. Scientists used MRI to prove this. When researchers said “good boy” in a praising tone to the dog, both of the dog’s brain hemispheres were activated. Meanwhile, when scientists said it with a neutral tone, only the left hemisphere of the dog’s brain was alerted. Furthermore, when researchers said a random word with a sweet tone, the right side of their brain was stimulated. This led to the conclusion that dogs are capable of sensing the word when both sides of their brain are activated. In other words, what we say and how we say it play a significant role in communication between humans and dogs.
In conclusion, dogs are animals that can perceive our language. As we communicate more deeply with dogs, they are able to comprehend our words. The reason that dogs are called the best friends of humans is not only because they are friendly, but also because they have a special ability to apprehend our language.
Work Cited
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/eavesdropping-dogsdo-dogs-understand-our-conversations#:~:text=%22Scientists%20have%20observed%20that%20dogs,with%20certain%20ob jects%20or%20actions.
https://anastasia-artenquire.medium.com/what-is-association-in-psychology-patterns-example s-983e23d392d8
https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/7-1-learning-by-association-classical conditioning/ (picture)
By. Seunghu Chi