A dog at the keyboard: using arbitrary signs to communicate requests.

Area of Science:

• Animal Cognition
• Canine Communication
• Animal Behavior

Background:

• Domestication has equipped dogs with a unique capacity for human-animal communication.
• Previous studies demonstrated "linguistic" abilities in other species using arbitrary signs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if a dog can learn and consistently use a set of arbitrary signs for communication.
• To explore the potential of a keyboard/lexigram system for studying dog communication and cognition.

Main Methods:

• A mongrel dog underwent training, learning verbal labels and then using a keyboard with lexigrams to request objects/activities.
• Systematic observations recorded spontaneous interactions, analyzing lexigram use in relation to motivational context and experimenter presence.

Main Results:

• The dog intentionally used lexigrams appropriately based on immediate needs and context.
• Lexigram use occurred only when the experimenter was present, with increased gazing after key presses, indicating communicative intent.

Conclusions:

• Dogs can learn a conventional system of signs linked to specific objects and activities, functionally similar to natural soliciting behaviors.
• The keyboard/lexigram procedure offers a promising method for further research into dog communication and cognitive abilities.
• This study is the first to systematically analyze the acquisition of arbitrary sign production in dogs.