Some dogs can classify their toys by function

Some dogs can categorize toys by function rather than appearance, exhibiting "label extension" without training. Researchers from Eötvös Loránd University found these dogs could identify objects with similar functions despite physical differences, akin to how humans recognize various types of cups or hammers. This aligns with previous research showing "smarter" dog breeds process information more like humans, with factors like head shape influencing how they interpret gestures and categorize objects. Dogs with better visual acuity and higher cognitive scores demonstrated less "spatial bias" in tests.