really

Fri, 09 Jan, 2015 - 10:41

Dave Molloy

Your dog is smart, right? They always know what you need, and god help you if you say 'walk' anywhere near them. Clever – right?

But does your dog really understand the words you use, or is it just your tone of voice? Do they understand emotions? Basically - do they actually understand you?

PBS digital's 'Braincraft' series brings the science behind talking to the animals to its latest edition of 'It's Okay To Be Smart'. Let Joe Hanson explain things with some help from his "assistant" Oliver.

Among the fascinating facts you may not know about your dog is that they can distinguish specific words as well as emotional tone. Interestingly, that's not a trait their ancestors, the grey wolf, possesses - we've introduced it though our shared evolution over millennia.

When you think about it, this makes perfect sense - we've selectively chosen dogs for their connection with us for so long, steering their evolution. It only takes a few decades to make a difference in cattle strain - think about what we've achieved with dogs over the past 15,000 years.

If you liked that, you may also enjoy Braincraft's other dog-related video this month: do dogs really miss us when we leave? Warning: it might actually make you feel worse about locking the door on your buddy.