A new study has revealed that some exceptionally intelligent dogs can remember the names of their toys for up to two years, demonstrating an extraordinary level of long-term memory. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Biology Letters on September 4, this research highlights the impressive cognitive abilities of what are known as Gifted Word Learner (GWL) dogs.
The study examined the ability of GWL dogs to retain names of objects, a skill that parallels how young children quickly learn and remember new vocabulary. These gifted dogs, who can learn the names of numerous toys, retained up to 75% of the toy names they learned, showcasing their exceptional memory.
In a 2020 experiment, researchers from the Family Dog Project at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest challenged six GWL dogs to learn the names of 12 new toys within a week. With dogs residing in various countries—including Norway, Spain, Brazil, the US, the Netherlands, and Hungary—the researchers conducted online tests to observe the dogs’ learning abilities. The tests, streamed on social media, captivated audiences as the dogs successfully identified between 11 and 12 new toys in just one week.
Two years later, the researchers re-evaluated the dogs’ memory by testing their recall of the toy names. Due to the passage of time and the death of one dog, five dogs participated in the follow-up study. While some toys were misplaced, the study found that four of the dogs remembered the names of 60-75% of the toys, even after the extended period. On average, the dogs correctly identified 44% of the toy names, a rate significantly higher than chance, underscoring their long-term memory capabilities.
Dr. Shany Dror, lead researcher on the study, expressed amazement at the dogs’ ability to recall names after such a long time, noting that even humans would struggle to remember details over two years. Dr. Claudia Fugazza, head of the research group, highlighted that while this study provides insight into the memory potential of GWL dogs, it cannot be generalized to all dogs, as the findings are specific to this group of exceptionally talented animals.
The research emphasizes that while dogs are known to remember events and scents, this study is the first to demonstrate that some dogs can retain verbal information for extended periods, revealing a fascinating aspect of canine cognition.
