Do Dogs Understand Words? Voice, Tone, and Pointing

Level: B1

Printable: Student handout (PDF) | Teacher’s key (PDF)

Reading

You come home and say, “Do you want to go for a walk?” Your dog jumps up and runs to the door. But what did the dog understand? Maybe it understood your words. Maybe it only heard your happy tone of voice. Or maybe it noticed your gestures, such as picking up the leash. Scientists have tested all three ideas. The answer seems to be a mix.

Let us start with words. Some dogs can learn a large vocabulary. A border collie named Chaser, in the United States, learned the names of 1,022 toys after about three years of daily training. She could bring the right toy when she heard its name. Most dogs are not like Chaser, though. Scientists in Hungary have found only a few dozen dogs, in about nine countries, that learn new toy names quickly. They call them gifted word learners. Most pet dogs seem better at learning commands, such as “sit” or “come”, than the names of objects. Commands are words that tell a dog what to do.

Tone matters too. In Hungary, scientists trained 13 dogs to lie still during a brain scan. A trainer spoke to the dogs. Some words were praise, such as “well done.” Other words meant nothing to the dogs, such as “if.” Each word was said in a happy voice and in a flat voice, which has very little feeling in it. The scans showed that the dogs’ brains handled the meaning of words and the tone of voice in different places. This is similar to how human brains work. The brain has a reward system, the part that reacts to good things. It became very active only when the words and the tone both sounded like praise. Praise words in a flat voice did not have the same effect. Neither did meaningless words in a happy voice.

Do dogs like “baby talk”? Many people speak to dogs in a high, slow, singing voice. In one experiment, scientists played recordings of this voice to puppies and adult dogs. Most of the puppies reacted strongly, and some barked and ran toward the speaker. The adult dogs seemed to ignore the recordings. But the voices belonged to strangers. Adult dogs may respond differently to a familiar person.

Dogs also pay attention to our hands. In many tests, a person points at one of two cups, and the dog looks for food in that cup. Puppies only a few months old can follow a pointing finger, even if they have not spent much time with people. In one study, wolf pups raised by people did not follow a quick point from far away, but they could learn to follow it with training. Scientists still debate whether dogs are born with this skill or learn it by living with people.

What does this mean for you? The research suggests a few simple ideas. If your words and your tone match, your dog will probably find your praise more rewarding. If you are consistent and use the same word every time, your dog will probably find it easier to learn. And if you want your dog to look at something, point slowly and clearly. Many dogs will follow your hand.

Nobody can say yet how much a typical pet dog understands, because many studies used only small groups of dogs. Every dog is different too. Here is a small test you can try at home. If you say “walk” in a flat, bored voice, will your dog still run to the door?

Vocabulary

Each word has a frequency score, a rank, and a tag. The score shows how common the word is in modern English: higher means more common, and each full point means roughly ten times more common. The rank is the word’s position on a list of about 321,000 English word forms, from most to least common. The tag shows where you are most likely to meet the word: Current, Formal, Literary, or Dated. The paragraph number shows where the word first appears in the reading. The labels are information, not instructions. Deciding which words are worth your time is up to you. How to read the scores, ranks, and tags.

Maybe the dog only heard your happy tone of voice.
She spoke in a kind tone, so the child felt safe.

Maybe the dog noticed your gestures, such as picking up the leash.
Tourists often use gestures when they do not speak the local language.

Some dogs can learn a large vocabulary.
Reading every day is a good way to grow your vocabulary.

Scientists call these rare dogs gifted word learners.
The gifted child learned to read at the age of three.

Most pet dogs are better at learning commands such as sit or come.
The police dog obeyed every command from its trainer.

Scientists trained 13 dogs to lie still during a brain scan.
The doctor ordered a scan to look at the patient’s knee.

Each word was said in a happy voice and in a flat voice.
He answered in a flat voice, and I could tell he was bored.

The brain’s reward system reacts to good things.
The dog got a small piece of chicken as a reward.

Most of the puppies reacted strongly to the recording.
My dog reacted to the thunder by hiding under the bed.

The adult dogs seemed to ignore the recordings.
It is hard to ignore a barking dog at night.

In the experiment, the voices belonged to strangers.
Many dogs bark when strangers come to the door.

Adult dogs may respond differently to a familiar person.
His voice was familiar, so the dog ran to him.

Scientists still debate whether dogs are born with this skill.
Experts debate the best way to train a young dog.

Your words and your tone should match when you praise a dog.
Your socks do not match your shirt.

If you are consistent, your dog will probably find a word easier to learn.
A consistent daily routine helps a young dog feel safe.

Activity Page

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Speed Challenge

Answer 12 questions against the clock. Every wrong answer adds 5 seconds, and the lowest score wins. Open the speed challenge in a new tab.

Shadow Reading and Typing: Testing My Neighbor’s Dog

This short text uses many of the words from this lesson. Use it for shadow reading (reading aloud along with a model) and for typing practice.

My neighbor has a small brown dog called Pip. We often meet in the park on sunny mornings. Last week I decided to find out how much Pip understands. I know that scientists still debate this question, so I did not expect a clear answer.

First, I used a happy tone and said, “Good dog!” Pip wagged her tail and came to me at once. Then I said the same words in a flat voice. She looked at me and seemed to ignore me. It was a small test, but it was interesting.

Next, I tried gestures. I pointed at a ball under a chair, and Pip went straight to it. Her owner told me that Pip’s vocabulary is small. She knows “sit” and “come” and a few other commands, but she does not know the names of her toys.

Her owner is always consistent. She uses the same words every time, and she gives Pip a small reward after each trick. Pip also reacts differently to a familiar person than to a stranger. I think Pip understands more than I expected, but I do not know how much. Next week I will bring a treat and use a happy tone every time.

How to practice

Read the text silently once and check any words you are unsure of.
Read it aloud slowly, one sentence at a time. On the typing page, the Listen button reads each line with your device’s voice, so you can listen first and then repeat.
Shadow: read aloud again at a natural speed, trying to keep a steady rhythm without stopping.
Record yourself, listen back, and note one sentence to practice again.
Type it on the typing page below and check your speed and accuracy.

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Comprehension Questions

What three ideas do scientists test about what a dog understands when you speak to it?
What did Chaser learn, and how are most pet dogs different?
What are gifted word learners?
What did the brain-scan study show about word meaning and tone of voice?
When did the dogs’ reward system become very active, and when did it not?
What happened when puppies and adult dogs heard recordings of “baby talk”? What does the writer say about the adult dogs?
How do scientists test whether dogs understand pointing?
What do scientists still debate about the pointing skill?
What advice does the reading give to dog owners, and how sure is the writer about it?

IELTS-Style Questions

True, False, or Not Given: “Chaser learned the names of her toys in less than one year.” Explain your answer using evidence from the reading.
Yes, No, or Not Given: “The writer believes that scientists already know how much a typical pet dog understands.” Explain your answer using evidence from the reading.
Author’s purpose: Why does the writer end with a question about saying “walk” in a flat voice? Is the aim to prove that dogs ignore tone, to invite readers to test the ideas at home, or something else?

AI Discussion Prompt

I just read an article about how dogs understand people. It covered Chaser and other dogs that learn the names of toys, a Hungarian brain-scan study about words and tone of voice, an experiment on “baby talk” with puppies and adult dogs, and tests of whether dogs follow pointing. I am an English learner at about B1 level. Please ask me one question at a time, starting with whether I have ever had a dog. Respond to my ideas first, then briefly correct any language errors, and ask follow-up questions that make me explain my reasons. Please use simple words.

AI Vocabulary Prompt

I want to practice vocabulary from an article about how dogs understand people. Please quiz me on the following words one at a time, using a mix of question types: multiple choice, true/false, and sentence completion. Give me feedback after each answer before moving on, and bring back the words I miss later. Here are the words: tone, gestures, vocabulary, gifted, commands, scan, flat, reward, reacted, ignore, strangers, familiar, debate, match, consistent.

Discussion Questions

Do you have a dog, or have you ever had one? What was the dog like?
Which words or commands does a dog you know understand?
When you speak to a dog, do you change your voice? How?
Which matters more to a dog, the words you say or the way you say them? Explain your answer.
Have you seen an animal follow someone’s pointing hand? What did it do?
Chaser learned 1,022 toy names, but most dogs do not. Why do you think some dogs learn more than others?
Do you use gestures when you talk to someone who speaks a different language? Which ones?
In your country, what jobs do dogs do, for example helping people, guarding places, or herding animals? How are they trained?
Many people talk to pets in a high, slow voice. What might be the reason?
Would you like to teach a dog many words? Why or why not?
The scientists in the reading used small groups of dogs. Why can small studies be a problem?
Do you think it is acceptable to use animals in scientific studies, even when the tests are gentle? Why or why not?
Dogs and people have lived together for a very long time. How do you think this has changed dogs, and how has it changed us?
If you could ask scientists to study one more thing about animals and language, what would it be?

Language Focus: First Conditional for Likely Results

What it is: The first conditional describes a real or likely situation and its probable result. Use if plus the present simple in the if-clause. In the result clause, use will, or an imperative for advice.

Why writers use it: You use the first conditional for advice, predictions, and plans. It sounds practical and direct, so it is common in guides and instructions. Words such as probably make the result less certain.

Examples from the reading:

“If your words and your tone match, your dog will probably find your praise more rewarding.”
“If you are consistent and use the same word every time, your dog will probably find it easier to learn.”
“And if you want your dog to look at something, point slowly and clearly.”
“If you say “walk” in a flat, bored voice, will your dog still run to the door?”

Practice task: Complete the sentence with the correct verb forms: “If you (praise) your dog in a happy voice, it (enjoy) the praise more.”

(Example answer: “If you praise your dog in a happy voice, it will enjoy the praise more.”)

Online Resources

Brain scan study reveals dogs attend to word meaning, not just intonation (British Psychological Society). A clear report on the Hungarian brain-scan study described in paragraph 3.
Border collie comprehends over 1,000 object names as verbal referents (ScienceDaily). A short news report on Chaser and her 1,022 toy names from paragraph 2.
What do Gifted dogs have in common? (Eotvos Lorand University). The university’s own news item on gifted word learner dogs, as in paragraph 2.
Dog-directed speech: why do we use it and do dogs pay attention to it? (Proceedings of the Royal Society B). The research paper behind the baby talk experiment in paragraph 4. The abstract is the easiest part to read.
Puppies Are Born Ready to Communicate With Humans (Smithsonian Magazine). A news article on a study of very young puppies that followed pointing, related to paragraph 5.