A recent study has delved into an intriguing question that has captivated dog enthusiasts: Can humans and dogs communicate effectively using soundboards? According to researchers, early findings suggest that dogs trained to use these devices respond to pre-recorded words in a manner similar to how they react to spoken language.
Leading the study, Professor Federico Rossano from the University of California San Diego, emphasized the significance of the research, stating, “We have demonstrated that dogs do pay attention to soundboard words, exhibiting appropriate behaviors independently of environmental cues and the person delivering the word.”
While Rossano acknowledges that the findings may not be revolutionary, he views the study as a critical first step in this emerging field.
The use of push-button soundboards has surged in popularity, with platforms like social media showcasing videos of dogs, including the famous Bunny, engaging with these devices. However, the authenticity of these interactions has been questioned, with some suggesting that the dogs might be responding more to their owners’ behavior or body language rather than the actual audio from the soundboards.
Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study by Rossano and his colleagues involved 59 dogs, all of whom had undergone training to use a soundboard. The researchers conducted two experiments to explore the dogs’ responses.
In the first experiment, a researcher used colored stickers to obscure the buttons on a soundboard programmed with words like “out/outside,” “play/toy,” and “food/eat/dinner/hungry.” Another researcher, unaware of the button-word associations and unable to hear the words, pressed a button while the dog’s behavior was recorded.
Dog owners replicated the experiment, varying between pressing the buttons and verbally saying the word.
The results indicated that the likelihood of dogs exhibiting play-related behaviors was seven times higher when the “play/toy” button was pressed compared to the other buttons. Similar results were observed for the “out/outside” buttons, although dogs did not show a significant increase in food-related behaviors when the corresponding button was activated.
Importantly, these findings were consistent regardless of who pressed the buttons—whether it was a researcher or the dog’s owner—or whether the owner used the soundboard or spoke the word aloud.
The research team is now expanding their study to determine if dogs can independently select the appropriate button for specific situations. This future work could provide deeper insights into the extent of canine word comprehension and the potential for genuine communication between humans and dogs through these devices.
Despite the excitement surrounding the study, some experts remain skeptical. Professor Clive Wynne, director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, described the study as lacking substantial new information, noting, “The main finding is that dogs respond to certain verbal cues. There’s nothing particularly remarkable about that.”
Wynne also pointed out that the study focused on only three familiar words and that the dogs succeeded in responding to just two of them. He further remarked that the dogs’ training to press buttons did not play a significant role in the study’s findings.
Dr. Mélissa Berthet from the University of Zürich, however, viewed the research more positively, acknowledging that it laid a necessary foundation for future studies. “They needed to show this,” she said. “Now, the scientific community is eagerly awaiting the next steps, which promise to be exciting.”
The study represents a crucial initial foray into the possibility of meaningful communication between humans and dogs through technological means, opening the door to further exploration in this burgeoning area of research.
