By Cathy M. Rosenthal
I recently received a letter from a reader named Melanie that reminded me just how intelligent our pets really are, and how much they rely on us to help them understand the world.
Melanie shared that she’s in her 80s, has had many animals over the years, and now lives with two beloved rescue dogs, Millie and SnugglePuff. These two little “she-devils” (her words, not mine!) are her constant companions and bring her joy and comfort every day.
Here’s what really stood out: SnugglePuff, her poodle/cocker mix, has a favorite toy that Melanie calls “purple stuffie.” When Melanie asks her to get it, SnugglePuff heads to the toy box and brings it right to her. Millie, her terrier/poodle mix, also has a favorite toy—a Smurf stuffie—that she recognizes and brings to her too.
Melanie asked: If dogs are colorblind, how do they know which toy is which? Is it smell?
Great question, and it gets to the heart of something I think more people need to appreciate:
Dogs don’t just learn commands. They learn language.
While dogs are colorblind, that doesn’t mean they see in black and white. Dogs can actually see some colors—mainly blues and yellows. They don’t see red or green the way we do, so something like a “purple stuffie” probably looks more like a shade of blue or gray to them. But here’s the key: SnugglePuff isn’t choosing the toy because it’s purple. She’s choosing it because “purple stuffie” is the name Melanie gave it—and she’s made that connection through repetition, praise, and play.
Now, dogs do have an extraordinary sense of smell—far better than ours—and yes, SnugglePuff can likely smell which toy is which. But when Melanie says, “Get the purple stuffie,” SnugglePuff isn’t identifying the toy by scent. She’s learned what that toy looks like and what those words mean. Even if it were freshly washed or smelled different, she would still recognize it because of its shape, texture, and the name attached to it.
That’s language. And it’s amazing that dogs can understand and make those kinds of connections.
Dogs don’t understand sentences or grammar (although some dog parents might argue otherwise), but they absolutely can learn vocabulary when we consistently assign meaning to those words. Sit. Stay. Ball. Walk. Cookie. Treat. They hear it enough, and they get it. In fact, most dogs can learn 100+ words with consistent training and interaction.
Want to be truly amazed? Look up Chaser, the Border Collie—a dog who learned the names of more than 1,000 toys. Chaser could not only identify each one by name, but could even group them by category. He even figured out a new toy based on the fact that he had never heard the name before. It’s mind-blowing. There’s a great PBS clip where Neil deGrasse Tyson interviews Chaser’s owner, and it’s well worth watching.
The point is: dogs are always listening. And when we invite them into our daily language—when we name their toys, talk to them during routines, or reward them for recognizing words—we’re giving them the tools to connect with us even more.
So yes, Melanie, your dogs aren’t identifying toys by color or smell. They’re identifying them by language—by the words you’ve taken the time to teach them. The more you talk to them, train them, and teach them, the smarter they become—and the more they understand about the world around them and their place in it.”
