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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Helen Pilcher

Dogs name toys while elephants name each other. Animal language is more complex than we imagine

Elephants drink from a pond at the Ngutuni wildlife conservancy, Kenya, 29 October 2024.
Elephants drink from a pond at the Ngutuni wildlife conservancy, Kenya, 29 October 2024. Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images

Another day, another cute story about how dogs can grasp elements of human language and use them to communicate with us.

First, there was Mr Waffles, the Yorkshire terrier that“talks” to his owners by pressing electronic buttons that have been pre-programmed with words and phrases. In one of his videos, viewed more than half a million times, the pint-sized pooch stares defiantly at the camera and responds to an empty packet of treats by pressing the “I don’t give a damn” button. Followed by the “bitch” button. Bad dog, Mr Waffles.

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