this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2025
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Science

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Gifted dogs classify toys by function, study finds (www.popsci.com)
submitted 1 month ago by Deebster to c/science@beehaw.org
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A study in Current Biology reports that some “gifted word learner” dogs can learn category words that refer to how toys are used (such as tugging versus fetching) and extend those labels to new objects that serve the same function. In tests, these dogs chose the correct toy by function even when it looked different, a pattern reminiscent of how human infants group objects by purpose during early language learning.

Study: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)01079-6

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[–] swelter_spark@reddthat.com 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I remember when I told my dog to "go get a toy", and he came back with a chewed-up frog.

It was interesting because it showed that he understood what a toy is--something you play with--vs memorizing a list of objects that he'd heard that word used to describe.

[–] flora_explora@beehaw.org 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

He might just have panicked, because you apparently discovered his secret and totally defeated brought you the frog...

[–] swelter_spark@reddthat.com 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

😂 He was actually excited, like he thought I would play with the frog with him. So sorry to disappoint him...

[–] flora_explora@beehaw.org 2 points 1 month ago

Aww, sweet but also sad