Dogs can ‘talk’ to their owners, according to a new global study

What if your dog could tell you exactly what they’re thinking? Thanks to a growing global research project, scientists are finding that dogs might be closer to talking to their owners than anyone expected. Through the use of sound buttons, dogs are learning how to communicate specific needs, emotions, and even complex ideas.

A study led by researchers at the University of California San Diego is exploring this new frontier. With participants in 47 countries, the project collects data from thousands of dogs using buttons labeled with words like “outside,” “food,” and “help.” Each time a dog presses a button, the action is recorded and analyzed to understand how dogs talk to owners across different environments.

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One remarkable example is Stella, a dog in San Diego, who pressed a series of buttons asking for “help,” “water,” and “outside” after realizing the button for “beach” was missing. Researchers believe this shows that some dogs are capable of combining concepts to create new meanings. It’s not just about pressing random buttons—it’s about making intentional choices that reveal real thought.

To test whether the dogs genuinely tried to talk to their owners or are simply seeking treats, scientists designed experiments where dogs had to use buttons without receiving immediate rewards. In one case, a dog named Parker pressed “help” and “look” after failing to open a container, suggesting an understanding of how to request human assistance.

These findings could reshape how we think about communication between species. If dogs can combine simple words to express more complex ideas, it opens new possibilities for deepening the relationship between pets and their people. Considering science has already found that talking to your dog is good, this new research only strengthens the importance of communicating with our pets.

As tools like AI help us improve our understanding of how we communicate with our pets, the ways that dogs talk to owners could grow even more sophisticated in the years ahead.