In a new study published in Science on Thursday, researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary found that a small group of “gifted” dogs can learn the names of new toys just by overhearing their owners talk about the items. For comparison, that is about the same language learning skills as an 18-month-old child.

Spelling F-O-O-D or O-U-T might only get you so far around your dog if he or she is considered a Gifted Word Learner (GWL). Researchers have just figured out that even when you're not talking to them directly,

We often view the ability to construct and learn a language as a skill set so unique it sets us apart from all other creatures in the animal kingdom. Dogs, in all their unknowing wisdom, make a mess of this theory. Research suggests man’s best friend may ...