Dogs’ brains are sensitive to the familiar high-pitched “cute” voice tone that adult humans, especially women, use to talk to babies, according to a new study.
The research, published recently in the journal Communications Biology, found “exciting similarities” between infant and dog brains during the processing of speech with such a high-pitched tone feature.
Humans tend to speak with a specific speech style characterised by exaggerated prosody, or patterns of stress and intonation in a language, when communicating with individuals having limited language competence.
Such speech has previously been found to be very important for the healthy cognitive, social and language development of children, who are also tuned to such a high-pitched voice.
But researchers, including those from the Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary, hoped to assess whether dog brains are also sensitive to this way of communication.
In the study, conscious family dogs were made to listen to dog, infant and adult-directed speech recorded from 12 women and men in real-life interactions.
As the dogs listened, their brain activities were measured using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan.
The study found the sound-processing regions of the dogs’ brains responded more to dog- and infant-directed than adult-directed speech.
This marked the first neurological evidence that dog brains are tuned to speech directed specifically at them.
“Studying how dog brains process dog-directed speech is exciting, because it can help us understand how exaggerated prosody contributes to efficient speech processing in a nonhuman species skilled at relying on different speech cues,” explained Anna Gergely, co-first author of the study.
Scientists also found dog- and infant-directed speech sensitivity of dog brains was more pronounced when the speakers were women, and was affected by voice pitch and its variation.
These findings suggest the way we speak to dogs matters, and that their brain is specifically sensitive to the higher-pitched voice tone typical to the female voice.
“Remarkably, the voice tone patterns characterizing women’s dog-directed speech are not typically used in dog-dog communication – our results may thus serve evidence for a neural preference that dogs developed during their domestication,” said Anna Gábor, co-first author of the study.
“Dog brains’ increased sensitivity to dog-directed speech spoken by women specifically may be due to the fact that women more often speak to dogs with exaggerated prosody than men,” Dr Gabor said.
An Emotional Anniversary: The First Birthday of an Aging Dog After Nearly a Decade
Life’s most poignant moments typically revolve across the love and companionship we share with our furry associates. On this heartfelt story, we rejoice the primary birthday of an ageing dog who has been a trustworthy companion for almost a decade. As we delve into this story, be ready for tears, laughter, and an entire lot of affection.
For almost ten years, this ageing dog has been a relentless presence of their proprietor’s life. By thick and skinny, the dog has provided unwavering loyalty and unconditional love.
Because the dog reaches their first birthday of the brand new decade, it’s a momentous event. Their proprietor decides to commemorate the day with a particular celebration, absolutely conscious that point is valuable.
The bond between the ageing dog and their proprietor is in contrast to another. It’s a connection solid via shared experiences, numerous walks, infinite video games of fetch, and moments of silent understanding.
The dog’s birthday celebration is a day stuffed with love and pampering. There are home made treats, a brand new toy, and loads of snuggles. The ageing pup could also be slowing down, however their spirit and enthusiasm for all times shine brightly.
Because the day unfolds, there are tears of pleasure and moments of reflection. The proprietor is deeply moved by the dog’s resilience, loyalty, and the reminder that even within the face of ageing, love stays unchanged.
The primary birthday of the brand new decade serves as a poignant reminder of the reward of time. It prompts the proprietor to cherish each second with their ageing companion and to proceed creating lovely reminiscences collectively.
The story of this ageing dog’s first birthday is a touching reminder of the profound classes our four-legged associates educate us. They present us the facility of affection, loyalty, and the great thing about rising previous collectively.
The primary birthday of an ageing dog after almost a decade is a celebration that tugs on the heartstrings and highlights the enduring bond between people and their furry companions. It’s a second to replicate on the worth of time, the teachings our pets educate us, and the profound impression they’ve on our lives. As we honor this big day, could all of us be impressed to cherish the love and loyalty of our pets, whether or not they’re younger or ageing gracefully.
Send birthday wishes to the dog.
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