Rare Talent in Dogs to Learn Toy Names Discovered

Global study identifies 41 dogs from nine countries with this unique ability, not limited to specific breeds.

Researchers from the Family Dog Project at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest have identified a rare talent in some dogs to learn and remember the names of numerous toys, often acquired spontaneously.
The study involved a global search and found 41 dogs from nine different countries that demonstrated this ability, which is not breed-specific.
Most of the dogs that demonstrated this ability were Border Collies, but the study also documented the ability in a few dogs from non-working breeds, such as two Pomeranians, one Pekingese, one Shih Tzu, a Corgi, a Poodle, and a few mixed breeds.
Most owners reported that they did not intentionally teach their dogs toy names, but rather that the dogs just seemed to spontaneously pick up the toy names during unstructured play sessions.
The researchers encourage dog owners who believe their dogs know multiple toy names, to contact them via the Genius Dog Challenge website.