NEW YORK – While dogs excel at obeying commands like “sit” and “stay,” they typically struggle with remembering the names of objects, such as their favorite squeaky or plush toys.

However, there’s a select group of exceptionally talented dogs capable of memorizing the names of numerous toys. Researchers have identified around 50 such canine prodigies, though the underlying reasons for their impressive linguistic abilities remain a mystery.

Recent studies are now expanding our understanding of these dogs’ capabilities.

It’s been established that these remarkable dogs can learn toy names during interactive play sessions with their humans. The newest research, however, reveals that these dogs can also pick up new names simply by overhearing conversations.

In the study, ten highly intelligent dogs, including a Border collie named Basket and a Labrador named Augie, observed their owners discussing a new toy with another person while holding it. Later, the dogs were asked to fetch that specific toy from a pile in another room, showcasing their ability to identify it among many others.

Seven out of the 10 dogs successfully learned the names of their new toy stingrays and armadillos from passively listening to their owners.

“This is the first time that we see a specific group of dogs that are able to learn labels from overhearing interactions,” said study author Shany Dror with Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Austria.

The pups even succeeded when the owners put the toy in an opaque box and then spoke to another person about it, creating a disconnect between seeing the object and hearing its name.

Only a few other animals, like parrots and apes, have demonstrated a knack for this kind of eavesdropping. It’s also essential to human development: Children under age 2 can pick up new words from listening, including ones their parents may not have intended.

However, these special dogs are fully grown, so the brain mechanisms enabling them to eavesdrop are likely different from those of humans, Dror said.

The new work shows how “animals have a lot more going on cognitively than maybe you think they do,” said animal cognition expert Heidi Lyn with the University of South Alabama. She had no role in the study, which was published Thursday in the journal Science.

Not all dogs pick things up like this, so it’s unlikely your furry friend is learning names while snacking on leftovers under the dinner table.

Dror hopes to keep studying the gifted pooches and figuring out what cues they’re picking up on. They’re some of her most enthusiastic — and messy — research subjects.

“We do have dogs coming to the lab sometimes, which is really nice,” she said, “but then often someone pees on the couch. So that does happen.”

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