2024-09-09 02:20:06
Whether it’s a Labrador, a pug, or a chow-chow, most owners at some point declare their dog a “smart boy” or “girl.”
According to a new study, there are two main signs to look for in order for an animal to be truly mentally gifted, writes Mail Online, quoted by BTA.
The researchers from Budapest’s Jotviós Lorand University say that the first key requirement is the dog’s ability to remember the names of at least one hundred objects. The second requirement is that it is able to remember some of these words for a minimum of two years.
According to researchers, these talents are most often possessed by dogs of the Border Collie breed.
Studies have already shown that there are very few so-called excellent students who have the unique ability to remember the names of hundreds of objects.
In the process of the experiment, the specialists found that only a limited group of Border Collie dogs could remember some of these names for at least two years.
The hope is that the talented pets can help experts understand more about how animals, unlike humans, retain their memory.
Dr Claudia Fugazza, scientific leader of the research group at Jotvos Lorand University in Hungary, explained: “We know that dogs can remember events for at least 24 hours and smells for up to a year, but this is the first study to show , that some talented dogs can remember words for at least two years”.
For the purpose of the study, the team analyzed the behavior of five Border Collies – Gaia, Max, Whiskey, Squall and Rico. These top dogs learned and remembered the names of multiple toys and were tested again two years later.
The researchers found it remarkable that four of the five dogs remembered the names of 60-75% of the toys after two years, with Gaia performing best.
As a group, they made an average of 44% correct choices, significantly above chance, the team added.
Dr Shani Dror, lead researcher on the study, said: ‘We waited two years and then decided to test the dogs again to see if they still remembered the names of the toys. Because so much time had passed, some of the owners had lost a few of the items. Thus, three dogs were tested for 12 toys, one for 11 and one for five.”
Dr. Dror concludes, “After two years, we all had a hard time remembering the names of the toys. But not the dogs! They didn’t seem bothered!”.
The research is part of a project known as the “Genius Dog Challenge”.
“The results of our current study cannot be generalized to other dogs because we only tested ‘excellent’ dogs – individuals who show a special talent for learning object words,” adds Dr Fugazza.