I didn't think so myself, their perception is via one's tone of voice but a friend who seems to have more of an affinity for cats/animals believes they do understand. We were talking about my cat one time while he was standing there and she remarked "he knows we are talking about him".
oh hell yes they do......tone of voice, of course is probably their first 'inkling' of what we're saying to them, but over time they definitely pick up on certain phrases you use with them a lot. I had a friend with a Yorkie.....whenever he heard someone at the door, we'd say, 'you better go see' and he'd run to the door........a very minor example, but you see what I mean.........
Once the dog didn't listen to what my friend told him........and he told him to 'you go get in your house!!".......he trotted up the stairs into the bedroom.......we both agreed we'd let him stay there for however long he wanted; in other words, what what his 'idea' of being punished...
lo & behold, 3 mins. later he came trotting back downstairs. tail wagging, looking very pleased with himself!!......I actually timed it....we laughed and laughed.........
In philosophical psychology, animals are considered to have an estimative sense, while we humans have a cognitive sense---It's a useful distinction. Usually, my dogs seem to understand what I say to them much better than I understand anything they are trying to communicate to me, but I am getting slightly better at understand them as time goes by.
I read on the internet within the last year about some researcher who had established that a rather unique (Golden Retriever I think it was) could "understand" 400 words.
But most importantly to me, they are such great pets---they always allow you into what for a human would be their "personal space" of 18 inches.
Long sentences like in your cartoon are a waste of time. A simple "No", while yanking the dog away from where it should not be, work much better.
Bt even though the dog 'get them message'. it will likely be quickly forgotten. The garbage smell is so interesting that you will probably find the dog there again the day after. It takes a lot of repetitions before a dog learn anything.
This post was edited by JakobA the unAmerican. at October 17, 2017 12:38 PM MDT
We took our dog to the beach once. We hadn't had her long and my daughter who was just a child at the time wanted to keep her on the leash. After some discussion with other family members I butted in and said, "Oh, let her run!" As soon as she was off the leash she came over to lick my hand, then took off down the beach. I've taken a different view of animal intelligence ever since.
JakobA the unAmerican. 