Researchers at Dalhousie University have surveyed 165 owners from around the world about their dogs to discover how many words their pets respond to. Dr. Sophie Jacques is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She teamed up with a colleague who also is a dog trainer. Their recent report was published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science and it identifies which breeds are more receptive and what influences outcomes. Why does this matter? As a child psychologist, Dr. Jacques is interested in the similarities and difference between vocabulary growth in babies and dogs. And she says it could help in training service animals, something that could cost upwards of $30-thousand.
