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.
Courageous Puppy Cries for Help and Battles to Rescue Mother Dog from Giant Python Attack, Displaying Exceptional Bravery in the Face of Danger
A small and courageous puppy demonstrates extraordinary bravery as it raises the alarm to save its mother from the grips of a giant python in a heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring scene recorded on camera. The harrowing incident occurred in a secluded town, illustrating the remarkable link between a pup and its father, as well as animals’ resilient spirit in the face of peril.
An astonishing story of daring and survival unfolded before the eyes of startled people in a small, remote community where nature and wildlife intertwined. This heart-stopping story revealed the steadfast strength and close relationship formed by a tiny dog and its mother as they confronted a massive python menace.
The terrifying meeting occurred in the tranquillity of the village, where daily life continued according to the natural rhythms. The peace was disrupted, however, as a gigantic python curled itself firmly around the mother dog, threatening her very survival. The mother dog found herself in a grave situation while writing in the claws of the reptile predator.
But assistance was not far away. A brave and quick-witted dog, just a few months old, became a witness to the dangerous event happening in front of its eyes. The young canine understood it had to act quickly and forcefully, fueled by natural resolve and an unshakable relationship with its mother.
The courageous pup unleashed a tremendous cry for aid, its frantic appeal resonating throughout the community, with every ounce of power and courage it possessed. The urgency and anxiety in its voice were unmistakable, prompting local residents to seek the cause of the uproar.
The locals hurried towards the terrified canine, guided by the puppy’s earnest appeal, knowing that time was of the essence. As they approached the scene, their eyes widened in amazement and bewilderment at what they saw. The mother dog, wrapped in the python’s tight hold, battled feverishly for her liberation, her life hanging in the balance.
The people worked together fearlessly to save the embattled mother dog from the grip of the terrible snake. Armed with tools and their collective might, they developed a strategy to rescue the mother dog from the python’s clutches.
The villagers performed their strategy with precision, painstakingly loosening the python’s coils and eventually releasing its grasp on the mother dog in a display of unshakable bravery and synchronization. As the tension subsided and the python’s hold loosened, hope ignited in the hearts of everyone who saw the rescue effort.
Finally, with one last concentrated attempt, the villagers were able to totally remove the mother dog from the python’s stifling grip. As the brave canine was reunited with her tough young, the crowd erupted in relief and appreciation.
This extraordinary story of bravery and survival serves as a compelling reminder of the tremendous ties that exist in the animal realm, as well as the awe-inspiring strength displayed by creatures large and tiny. The narrative of the brave puppy’s call for assistance and the villagers’ collaborative attempt to save the mother dog from the claws of a gigantic python exemplifies the indomitable spirit that dwells inside every living creature.
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