Monday, January 14 2013 4:23 PM EST2013-01-14 21:23:17 GMT
Hi! My name is Zeus and I am a 2-month-old Newfoundland mix puppy. I made the long journey from a shelter in Alabama to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
Hi! My name is Zeus and I am a 2-month-old Newfoundland mix puppy. I made the long journey from a shelter in Alabama to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
Traveling with a dog can be fun, exciting and memorable, but it can also be a bit of a challenge if its idea of bathroom etiquette is finding the nearest patch of grass that smells like home.
Traveling with a dog can be fun, exciting and memorable, but it can also be a bit of a challenge if its idea of bathroom etiquette is finding the nearest patch of grass that smells like home.
Researchers at Wofford College have been working with this border collie, Chaser, for a while. As of early this year, it was reported that Chaser knows the names of 1,022 objects, with no upper limit to his extensive vocabulary in sight.
Says Wofford researcher Alliston Reid: "This research is important because it demonstrates that dogs, like children, can develop extensive vocabularies and understand that certain words represent individual objects and other words represent categories of objects, independent in meaning of what one is asked to do with those objects."
The Family Education Network provides very good, detailed instructions on one way you can teach your dog new words. In a nutshell, you begin by teaching your dog to touch your hand. When she does this, you provide a small food reward. Next, provide an object, such as a favorite ball. Ask your dog to touch the ball. If your dog touches your hand, do not offer the food reward. Only do so when it gets the "ball" connection. After some practice with this, you can test your dog by presenting multiple objects, such as ropes and other toys, to see if it really gets that "rope" refers to the rope, "ball" refers to the ball and so on.
*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.
FOX 13 / WTVT-TV 3213 West Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, Florida 33609 Main: (813) 876-1313 Newsroom: (813) 870-9630 Fax: (813) 871-3135
© James Gathany / CDC / James Gathany
