We know dogs are smart. They’re even smarter than we thought, according to a study recently published in the journal ‘Current Biology.’ In this study, Gifted Word Learner dogs showed they can distinguish between toys used for tugging versus fetching, even if the toys didn’t look alike. The study took place in dogs’ home environments with their owners using the words “pull” and “fetch” to play with them. Retesting the dogs confirmed their achievements.
Source: Popular Science, September 18, 2025. Link. According to Fugazza, this is similar to a person calling a hammer and a rock by the same name. “The rock and the hammer look physically different, but they can be used for the same function. So now it turns out that these dogs can do the same,” she says.