The mind-blowing answer here is that dogs can learn pretty much any language you throw at them. English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, you name it. They can understand commands in two, four, six, ten different languages, if you really want to expand their repertoire.
Dogs are "bilingual" and can distinguish between languages, according to new research. The skill was thought to be unique to humans, but it has also been identified in our four-legged friends through a new study. "Some years ago, I moved from Mexico to Hungary. My dog, Kun-kun, came with me.
Because the more distinctive a language is, the easier it'll be for your doggo to recognize different words. That's also why so many folks in the working dog community prefer teaching their canines commands in French, Dutch, or German. It makes life easier for you and your pooch.
German is a clear, distinctive language for dogs to understand. When giving German commands, you'll say the word in the imperative form, which is concise, distinctive, and easy to learn. And it helps that they can be fun to say or yell.
There are many advantages to choosing to train your dog in a different language – a 'training language' if you will. Training in a different language greatly reduces the likelihood of the dog confusing your conversational interactions with others as a cue for him or her to perform a given behaviour.
Another factor highlighted in the research is that older dogs were better at distinguishing between familiar and unfamiliar languages. Therefore answering the above question, it is fair to say that dogs can respond to commands in two languages.
Hounded By Heritage
Take police dogs, for example. German Shepherds are the breed of choice for law enforcement, and because they're of German heritage, they will often be trained using German commands.
Surely they absorb the patterns and rhythms of our speech. That notion was supported by the study. Interestingly, the brains of the older dogs showed more activity in their secondary auditory cortex. That hints that these animals were better able to distinguish between the two languages.
Japanese Language Commands for Dogs and Cats
Here are some commonly used commands in Japan: Sit: おすわり (osuwari) (oh-soo-WAH-ree) Stay: まて！ (mate) (MAH-tay)
Our canine pets are such good social learners that they can detect speech and distinguish languages without any explicit training. Just like you, your dog knows when someone is speaking your native tongue or a foreign language, Hungarian researchers reported.
So, while dogs generally make the same sounds around the world, not everyone is hearing the word 'woof' when a dog barks. For example, a Hebrew dog says “hav-hav”, a Japanese dog says “wan-wan” and a Kurdish dog says “hau-hau”.
And according to a new study, canines are capable of comprehending more than many might think. Canadian researchers who studied 165 dogs and their owners found that the animals responded to between 15 and 215 words and phrases.
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to them!
Especially if you tell them often, they will come to recognize your words and tone and will understand the love you have for them. As long as you're showing your dog love and affection, they will understand it. However, if you want to throw in an extra belly rub or treat once in a while, they will love you for it!
It turns out that dogs can learn a lot of words in the English language or any other language that they're raised with. They can also pick up on our tones and distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar languages. That said, they can't fully understand English.
Your Dog Won't Confuse Commands for Conversation
There are several advantages that come from training your dog German commands. The most obvious is that if your household is English-speaking, your dog is unlikely to get confused when listening to common conversations.
#1 – Afghan Hound
These sighthounds needed to think for themselves to keep track of the prey instead of looking to their owner for direction. These days, those traits are displayed as being aloof and independent. They make up for their lack of obedience by being extremely affectionate and loyal.
While a pooch performing a sit or a down out of context likely will not cause any problems, certain tricks, like jumping vertically in the air, spinning in circles, high fives or hugs and kisses, can create issues for you and your dog.
First off, there is no such thing as an untrainable dog. “But,” you argue, “If there were such a thing, surely my dog would fit into that category!” You can believe what you want, but all dogs are trainable; it just depends on how you go about it and how much time and energy you're willing to invest.
#1 Akita. The 80 to 90-pound Akita is a gorgeous pooch, but it is the most stubborn, according to dog owners and experts. In fact, this Japanese hunting pup has been known to just walk away when you are trying to train them. However, once you get them to trust you, they will be your loyal sidekick for life.