The talking dog dream: what science says about it

A new scientific review tackles an age-old question: could dogs ever learn to talk? While barking out full sentences might sound like science fiction, researchers are taking a closer look at the biological and technological possibilities behind enhancing canine communication.

For centuries, humans have been captivated by the idea of a “talking dog”, a loyal companion capable of speech, appearing in folklore, literature, and cinema. Now, researchers are detangling whether this idea could ever become reality, and what it would mean for how we understand dogs and ourselves.

In this new review article, researchers from the BARKS Lab at the Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary) explore the anatomical, cognitive, and evolutionary traits that shape how dogs communicate with humans and examine whether these could be linked to spoken language. The question may not seem important, perhaps it even sounds funny at first, but from an evolutionary biological perspective, it raises a serious point: if dogs were capable of speech, living as they do in a human environment, it would offer such a significant advantage that the trait should have spread rapidly.

“The real question is: are dogs really on the road to verbalisation? Which skills are necessary for speech production and comprehension abilities that the dog might possess, and which skills do dogs lack?” asked Dr. Rita Lenkei, one of the lead authors. “We aimed to clarify what is known, what is overstated, and what remains to be explored through serious scientific inquiry.”

Furthermore, the researchers caution that the dream of a talking dog may remain just that, a dream. Beyond the scientific challenges, there are also ethical questions about whether we should try to make dogs speak like us. “Instead, we suggest that the focus should be on better understanding the unique ways dogs already communicate, both vocally and non-verbally, and what this tells us about language, empathy, and cooperation across species,” added Dr. Paula Pérez Fraga, the other lead author of the review.

One of the review’s main contributions is its relevance to research in language evolution. “Because we cannot experimentally recreate the conditions under which human speech emerged, comparative models are essential. Studying how domestication shaped dogs’ communicative skills may help illuminate the early cognitive and neural steps toward speech-readiness in our own species,” said Dr. Tamás Faragó, leader of the research group.

The findings have implications not just for the evolution of the human language, but also for ethorobotics — a new field at the intersection of animal behaviour and robotics. Insights into dog-human communication could help design robots that better interact with both people and animals.

In the end, dogs may not need words to be great communicators. As this review explains, understanding each other doesn’t always require speech, sometimes it just takes “listening” in the right way.

Link to the original article

Lenkei, R., Pérez Fraga, P., Zsiros, L. R., Szigeti, B., Faragó T. (2025). Let’s talk about “talking” dogs! Reviewing the science behind a bold idea. Biologia Futura. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42977-025-00276-0