New study suggests dogs can recognize object names

A new study conducted by researchers in Hungary challenges the long-held belief that dogs cannot form associations with language in a referential manner. According to the study, when dogs hear the names of their favorite toys, it activates memories of those objects. Lilla Magyari, the author of the study, states, "It definitely shows us that it's not human-unique to have this type of referential understanding." Previously, it was thought that dogs lacked this ability due to behavioral studies where they failed to perform consistently in laboratory conditions when given commands related to toys. Magyari further explains that while dogs can understand nouns beyond basic commands like "sit" and "fetch," there has been limited insight into how dogs process words in their brains.