Discovering Dogs' Special Connection to Human Speech

In a heartwarming revelation, a recent study published in Communications Biology brings us closer to understanding the unique bond between dogs and human speech. This study uncovers a fascinating phenomenon – dogs display an extraordinary sensitivity to speech directed specifically at them, especially when it comes from women. Hungarian researchers from Eötvös Loránd University embarked on an adventure with trained dogs, using fMRI scans to delve into the world of canine minds. What they found is both endearing and thought-provoking, shedding light on the similarities between infant and dog brain responses to speech with a unique rhythm.

Talking with pets

When we talk to those who don't comprehend our words fully, like infants and our furry friends, we often resort to a special way of speaking. This speech style, marked by its melodious tones, captivates their attention and affection. We all know that infants thrive with such communication, fostering their development in various ways. But have you ever wondered if our canine companions share this kind of connection with us?

The Hungarian researchers embarked on a heartwarming journey, involving family dogs in their experiments. These loyal companions willingly participated in MRI scans while being exposed to recorded conversations between humans. These conversations were directed at dogs, infants, and adults, creating a vivid tapestry of interactions.

The co-first author of the study, Anna Gergely, shares her excitement, "Studying how dog brains process dog-directed speech is exciting, because it can help us understand how exaggerated prosody contributes to efficient speech processing in a nonhuman species skilled at relying on different speech cues (e.g. follow verbal commands)."

Understanding the dog brain

The magic of the findings lies in their simplicity. The canine auditory brain areas lit up with joy, responding more vibrantly to speech intended for dogs and infants compared to that aimed at adults. This discovery paints the first-ever picture of dogs' hearts resonating with speech made just for them.

What's even more charming is that dogs seemed to be enchanted by the sound of women's voices, particularly when they used a playful and varied tone. This suggests that the way we chat with our dogs matters, and their hearts respond warmly to the unique lilt found in the female voice.

Anna Gábor, another co-first author, adds a touch of insight, "What makes this result particularly interesting is that in dogs, as opposed to infants, this sensitivity cannot be explained by either ancient responsiveness to conspecific signals or by intrauterine exposure to women's voice. Remarkably, the voice tone patterns characterizing women’s dog-directed speech are not typically used in dog-dog communication – our results may thus serve evidence for a neural preference that dogs developed during their domestication. Dog brains’ increased sensitivity to dog-directed speech spoken by women specifically may be due to the fact that women more often speak to dogs with exaggerated prosody than men."

The heartwarming study, titled "Dog brains are sensitive to infant- and dog-directed prosody," was penned by Anna Gergely*, Anna Gábor*, Márta Gácsi, Anna Kis, Kálmán Czeibert, József Topál, and Attila Andics (*co-first authors) and finds its home in Communications Biology. Read the full study here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-05217-y