Dogs have been man’s best friend for thousands of years, a source of companionship and loyalty since the Stone Age.
Now scientists suspect they have discovered the root of the relationship - a dog really does understand his master’s voice. Researchers have found that pet dogs process language in a similar way to humans.
They learn to recognize the words that are spoken. But tests suggest they also notice the more subtle aspects of human communication - the emotional tone, intonation and volume changes that influence the meaning of language.
Scientists at Sussex University think this is because dogs process language in the same way as we do. They tested the way different aspects of language seemed to go through different parts of the brain. Humans have a ‘hemispheric bias’ when it comes to communication, with different aspects of language favouring the left or right side of the brain.
The researchers’ tests suggest that dogs process speech in the same way.
A group of 25 dogs were placed between two speakers playing recorded commands - such as ‘come on then’, When the command was delivered in a flat, emotionless tone, the dogs turned right, suggesting the animals were concentrating on the words, not the intonation. But when the commands exaggerated intonation or emotion, the animals turned left.
The results suggest that like us, dogs process different aspects of human speech in different parts of the brain, perhaps indicating why they can be trained to follow people.
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