NBC reports that researchers in Hungary have found that dogs can recognize when someone is speaking their owner's native language or a foreign one.<br />According to brain scans from 18 dogs, different areas of the dogs' brains would light up depending on whether the dog heard a familiar or foreign language.<br />"Dogs are really good in the human environment. We found that they know more than I expected about human language." Laura Cuaya, a postdoctoral researcher at the Neuroethology of Communication Lab at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, via NBC.<br />"Certainly, this ability to be constant social learners gives them an advantage as a species: it gives them a better understanding of their environment." Laura Cuaya, a postdoctoral researcher at the Neuroethology of Communication Lab at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, via NBC.<br />According to NBC, Cuaya said that dogs seem to recognize their owner's native language without "explicit training." <br />"I think this reflects how much dogs are tuned to humans. As many owners already know, dogs are social beings interested in what is happening in their social world." Laura Cuaya, a postdoctoral researcher <br />at the Neuroethology of Communication Lab at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, via NBC.<br />The study reportedly included six border collies, two Australian shepherds, a labradoodle, a cocker spaniel and three mixed breed dogs.<br />16 of the dogs' native language was Hungarian, while the other two were familiar with Spanish.<br />The dogs were read excerpts from Chapter 21 of 'The Little Prince' while in an MRI scanner.<br />The report was published in NeuroImage.
