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Do you know how many words the average trained dog knows?
An expert on dog intelligence and a psychologist Dr. Stanley Coren says that the average trained dog knows around 165 words. He also says that most dogs can count to four or five. The smartest dogs around who are in the top 20 percent have a vocabulary of 250 words and are on a par with a two and a half-year-old child.
When it was confirmed in the 1970s that chimpanzees could be trained to read and use words in sign language it became known that language is not unique to humans. He says not every breed has equal brains, the smartest dogs in his opinion are Border collies, poodles, and German shepherds.
The not so smart dogs are borzois, chow chows, and Bulldogs. The dumbest breed according to Dr. Stanley Coren is the Afghan Hound. To know a word and actually understand the language are two different matters, a dog may appear to comprehend our language. But maybe it could be that they are simply reacting to our signals or tone of voice.
Nearly all pets know the basics such as sit, lie down but your pet is capable of increasing his vocabulary and knowledge with motivation and patience by you. You need to acknowledge his achievements when he does what he is told to do. In the same way, we teach our children, words will work well with our dogs too. Always say the dog’s name first and then the word you are teaching him.
Do our dogs actually understand the 165 they know? that is not clear but what is known is that without a doubt our dogs have an amazing way of understanding us.
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