Do dogs understand?-Contrasting anecdotal reports, neuroimaging, and behavioural evidence on language comprehension.

Abstract

Dogs are the earliest domesticated species which still live alongside humans in unprecedented numbers. While various aspects of their socio-cognition have been shown to have adapted to the human environment during domestication, evidence on language comprehension is contradicting and inconclusive. In this review article, in an attempt to answer the hypothetical question: "Do dogs understand human language?" I try to summarize all recent behavioural, neurocognitive, as well as anecdotal reports we have on language comprehension in dogs. I assess the contradictions, suggest a set of possible explanations, and propose a new, systematic and more naturalistic approach to consolidate anecdotal and neuroimaging evidence with behavioural evidence.