A groundbreaking study from UC San Diego reveals that dogs trained to use soundboards can combine words to communicate their needs and desires.
This research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, shows that dogs press buttons on soundboards in deliberate ways, rather than simply copying their owners.
The study, conducted by the university’s Comparative Cognition Lab, analyzed data from 152 dogs over 21 months.
Researchers captured more than 260,000 button presses, with 195,000 of them made by the dogs themselves.
The findings suggest that when dogs press two buttons together, it’s not random—they are often making meaningful requests.
“This is the first scientific study to look closely at how dogs use soundboards,” said Federico Rossano, the study’s lead researcher and an associate professor of cognitive science.
“The data shows that dogs are purposefully using the buttons to express what they want, like going outside or asking for food.”
The most commonly used buttons were related to basic needs, with words like “outside,” “treat,” “play,” and “potty.” Dogs often pressed combinations such as “outside” + “potty” or “food” + “water,” showing that they understand how to pair words for more specific communication.
For dog owners, this technology could make communication with their pets clearer and more precise. Instead of barking or scratching, a dog might use buttons to tell its owner exactly what it wants—like asking to go to the beach or the park. This could help strengthen the bond between dogs and their humans.
Data was collected through the FluentPet mobile app, where dog owners logged button presses in real time. The research team used advanced statistical methods to confirm that multi-button presses were not random or imitative. For example, dogs rarely pressed buttons like “I love you,” which owners tended to use more frequently.
The study raises exciting questions for future research. Scientists plan to explore whether dogs can use buttons to talk about past or future events, such as a missing toy or an anticipated trip to the park.
“If dogs can express more complex ideas, like referring to something they can’t see or remembering past experiences, it could change the way we think about animal intelligence,” Rossano said.
This research provides a new way to understand how dogs think and communicate, opening the door to deeper connections with our furry companions.
