September 26, 2025, 3:55 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Can dogs not only learn words but also apply them meaningfully to new things? A recent study reveals something astonishing: Some dogs can categorize new objects by their function—based solely on previously heard word signals for favorite toys. This means that without the objects resembling each other externally, dogs assign the appropriate word to them—just because they learned how to play with them. A fascinating look at the cognitive abilities of our four-legged friends.
Dogs Can Transfer Properties of Their Favorite Toys
A research team led by Claudia Fugazza from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest investigated whether so-called “Gifted Word Learner” dogs (GWL dogs) can not only understand words but also transfer them to functionally similar objects. The study was published in the journal Current Biology. It focused on dogs capable of spontaneously learning numerous toy names without formal training. The study aimed to determine whether these dogs could apply verbally learned object categories to new, functionally similar—but visually completely different—potential favorite toys. Only natural, playful interactions with the owners were used.
Dogs Can Distinguish Objects by Properties
Eleven GWL dogs (including Border Collies, a Labrador, a Blue Heeler, and a Corgi) participated; seven completed all phases. Initially, the dogs learned over four weeks to distinguish eight toys into two groups—one for pulling (“pull”), one for throwing (“throw”).
The toys were used exclusively in a specific way and verbally named accordingly. In a test phase, the dogs then had to fetch the correct toy on command—eight passed this test.
Afterward, the dogs played with new objects also meant for pulling or throwing, but this time without naming—only through play behavior. Finally, the dogs were asked to bring a “pull” or “throw”—they now had to select the appropriate new toy based solely on the known functional term.
Dogs Understand Us Even Better Than We Thought
The dogs were able to transfer the learned words to new, functionally similar toys—even though they had never heard a word for them before. In the classification test with 48 attempts per dog, they correctly chose the appropriate new object (either “pull” or “throw”) in an average of 31 cases.
Particularly remarkable: The objects differed greatly in color, shape, and material. The only commonality was the play style—their function. Statistically, the dogs’ success rate was significantly above the chance level. Errors mainly occurred when a familiar but thematically inappropriate toy was chosen. This shows that the dogs apparently had functional categories in mind that they could apply to new objects.
These results show that dogs—at least GWL dogs—are capable of understanding words not just as names for specific objects but also as categories that can be applied to new objects. This demonstrates a cognitive ability previously attributed almost exclusively to humans: functional categorization based on linguistic signals. Remarkable is also the natural learning context—no formal training, just everyday play. This makes these dogs a unique model for studying early language—like abilities in non-human species and provides new impetus for research on language development.
Like Toddlers! Dogs Learn Words Just by Eavesdropping on Us
Dogs can remember the names of toys for up to two years
Can All Dogs Identify Their Favorite Toys?
The relationship between language and thought has long been debated. In children, it is shown that over time, they learn to categorize objects not only by appearance but also by function. Whether animals are also capable of this was previously unclear. The GWL dogs studied differ significantly. They learn words in everyday life, without targeted training, and remember dozens to hundreds of names for their favorite toys.
The study is a significant step in comparative cognition research. Its great advantage lies in ecological validity—the dogs learned under natural conditions, in everyday life with their owners. Unlike previous studies with extremely trained animals (such as parrots or chimpanzees), the researchers here used spontaneous learning processes.
However, there are limitations: Only seven dogs were tested in all phases, and they were particularly gifted animals. Whether “normal” dogs are also capable of such functional categorization remains open. Additionally, behavior could have been influenced by previous play habits with certain objects. Therefore, the results cannot be generalized to the broader dog population. Further studies with other dogs are necessary.
Conclusion
The study provides the first solid evidence that some dogs can functionally generalize words. That is, they can correctly assign not only visually similar but also functionally similar objects. The results highlight how highly developed the cognitive abilities of dogs can be—at least in those with pronounced word-learning ability. For science, this is an important step in better understanding the foundations of language and thought. For dog owners, it is a fascinating testament to how attentively our four-legged friends observe us—and how much they actually learn in the process. 1