A groundbreaking study from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), has revealed that dogs trained to use soundboards for communication are capable of combining two words in meaningful ways, demonstrating intentional communication rather than random behavior or mere imitation of their owners. The study, conducted by the UCSD Comparative Cognition Lab and published in Scientific Reports, analyzed data from 152 dogs over a 21-month period, capturing over 260,000 button presses—195,000 of which were initiated by the dogs themselves.
This marks the first scientific investigation into how dogs utilize soundboards, which feature buttons that play pre-recorded words when pressed. According to senior researcher Federico Rossano, an associate professor of cognitive science at UC San Diego, the findings suggest that dogs are pressing these buttons purposefully to express their desires and needs, rather than mimicking their human companions.
“The results demonstrate that when dogs use multi-button combinations, these sequences are not random but reflect specific requests or intentions,” Rossano said. “This suggests that dogs are communicating more deliberately and effectively with their owners.”
The study primarily focused on essential needs, with dogs frequently pressing buttons linked to activities such as “outside,” “treat,” “play,” and “potty.” Notably, combinations like “outside” + “potty” or “food” + “water” were used more often than random chance would predict, indicating purposeful communication.
This research opens new possibilities for dog owners to better understand their pets’ needs. Rossano explained that while dogs have always found ways to communicate their desires, soundboards offer a more precise method. Instead of barking or scratching at the door, a dog could use buttons to convey specific wants, such as combining “outside” and “park” or “beach.” This could enhance the bond between dogs and their human companions by allowing for more nuanced communication.
The data for this study was gathered through the FluentPet mobile app, where dog owners logged their pets’ button presses in real time. The researchers analyzed button use patterns from 152 dogs, each of which had pressed buttons at least 200 times. Advanced statistical methods, including computer simulations, were employed to determine whether the button sequences were random, imitative, or intentional. The results confirmed that multi-button presses followed patterns far less likely to occur by chance, supporting the idea that dogs were communicating with intention.
A comparison between the dogs’ button presses and those of their human owners further highlighted the dogs’ ability to use soundboards creatively. For example, buttons like “I love you” were pressed much more frequently by owners than by dogs, suggesting that dogs were not simply copying their human behavior.
While this study demonstrates dogs’ ability to form two-button combinations, the research team aims to explore further. Future investigations will examine whether dogs can use soundboards to refer to past or future events, such as a missing toy or upcoming activities.
“We are particularly interested in understanding if dogs can express more complex concepts, such as referencing absent objects, past experiences, or future plans,” Rossano said. “This could revolutionize our understanding of animal cognition and communication.”
The study’s co-authors include Amalia P. M. Bastos, now at Johns Hopkins University; Zachary N. Houghton, now at UC Davis; and Lucas Naranjo from CleverPet, Inc., the company behind the FluentPet app and soundboard devices. While some of the researchers have ties to CleverPet, the research design and analysis were conducted independently.
This research provides compelling evidence that dogs may possess a far more sophisticated form of communication than previously recognized, potentially transforming the way humans interact with and understand their canine companions.
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