Canine Cognition: Dogs Prefer Women's Deliberate Tones
Dogs are more receptive to speech directed specifically at them, especially when spoken by women, according to a study conducted by researchers at Eötvös Loránd University. Using fMRI scans on trained family dogs, the study found that the canine brain responds more strongly to dog- and infant-directed speech than to regular adult speech. This suggests that dogs have a unique sensitivity to exaggerated prosody, particularly evident in the female voice, which may have developed during domestication. The findings provide insights into how speech cues influence dogs and highlight the importance of the way we communicate with our canine companions.