Source: Earth.com
A recent study published in PLOS ONE explores whether dogs using soundboard buttons to “speak” are genuinely communicating or simply responding to cues. Led by Federico Rossano, Associate Professor at UC San Diego, this research suggests that dogs trained with soundboard buttons understand specific words, responding appropriately regardless of who presses the button. This finding challenges the notion that dogs only react to body language or their owners’ presence.
The study involved both in-person and remote trials, where researchers observed dogs’ reactions to soundboard buttons, confirming they respond to the words themselves. The methodology was rigorously pre-registered to ensure transparency and reduce bias. Future research will investigate how dogs actively use these buttons and the meaning behind sequences of button presses. This work is part of a broader effort to enhance our understanding of interspecies communication, highlighting the sophistication of canine cognition and the potential for deeper human-dog connections.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-learn-to-speak-by-pressing-buttons-on-a-soundboard/