How come my dog reacts to his name when dogs can't understand us?

Question

I know this is pretty random but it just popped in my head...

Answer 1

maybe he knows your voice not his name

Answer 2

Who says dogs can't understand us!  My golden retriever knows what a heart toy is , she retrieves her rubber ducks from the pool, starting with the mom, and the 3 lil ducks.  Dogs sure do understand, otherwise why would they respond when you call them..Call your dog by another name and see if he comes.

Answer 3

Because that is wat you have called them all there life?

Answer 4

Just because dogs don't understand the grammar and syntax of human language doesn't mean that they don't associate meaning with certain words or sounds.  I don't understand any foreign languages, but I do associate certain words fro foreign languages with certain meanings.  All dogs will eventually develop a vocabulary of human words...otherwise why would we be able to use verbal commands for obedience?

Answer 5

Dogs are social animals and they have a vocabulary.  They also know voice inflecton to pick up when you are mad or happy.

My dog knows the meaning of the followng:.

No!

Cage.

Down.

upup.

easy (take food gently from my hand)

go pee.

go p**p.

outside.

run.

stay.

heal

come

go. (walk away)

treat.

leash./walk

hunter

david

Olivia

Mommy

Daddy

Leighanna

Runn around (with body languaage to make him run a lap around the house)

Answer 6

my animals have always understood me.  maybe you don't speak clearly enough.

Answer 7

The same way they react to a training clicker. It isn't so much as what is said as how it is said and the tone of the voice. A dog and or puppy's life with a human is mainly based on approval and disapproval.That is pretty much what training is.  

Answer 8

Well since the dog probably gets called his name allot he gets used to it. Which means that that certain word is one he reacts to.

Good Luck!

Answer 9

Dogs can be as smart as a five or six year old child.  They understand a lot of what you are saying, and when you say their name, they think you are calling them.  

Answer 10

Dogs can't understand or use language, but thats not to say they can't communicate. Language is a discrete combinatorial system; that is, there are individual units, or words, that can be rearranged into different combinations to change the meaning of the expression. Dogs don't have the neural hardware to process the combinations.  So a dog won't be able to understand the difference between, like "Does the puppy want a biscuit?"  and  "Does puppy want me to put the biscuits away?" Your likely to get the same response out of him.

But they can learn to associate sounds with a concept they do understand.  If your dog understands the concept of "sitting for a treat," he can learn to associate the sound of the word "sit" with the behavior.

What exactly is your dog learning to associate with his name? Dog only knows.

Answer 11

Dogs understand us a lot better than we understand them. They also know more words than we know "dog sounds". Your dog knows his name. Some dogs learn the names of all family members and certain places or rooms in the house. They know the difference between "sit" and "lie down" and a lot of other commands.

My sister and I used to send our boxer bi*ch on little missions, like "go to mummy" or "go to the bathroom", and she usually got it right (and loved the game coz she got lots of treats).

Dogs also know if you're sad or angry but pretend not to be, and when you're happy, they're happy, too. If you don't like one of the guests at your party, your dog won't go near him or snarl at him.

Answer 12

Because he understands the tones your voice makes when you say his name ~ its lush isn't it :@)

Answer 13

Are you kidding me,my dog of 15 1/2 years that I had to put down this past week was smarter than some people I know !!! She understood things so well that we had to spell some words so she wouldn't get excited about something I might have not done, she loved chicken,but could not just mention it unless I was going to make it or she would be waiting all day for it,she wouldn't eat anything else because she was waiting for chicken !

Answer 14

Sense tat is what you call him all the time it learned to respond to the name.Dogs spend allot of time trying to understand us.They what our bodies and how we react to things.They are good at picking up on what we want.And it is not hard for us to understand them.

Answer 15

Because he has learned when he hears that sound it means him.  Dogs do learn our language as they spend time with us.  Hope you pay attention to what your dog is saying to you in return