A new study proves man's best friend is even smarter than we thought, showing how our dogs can pick up on what we're thinking even when we're not saying a word.
"Sit…down…good girl baby, good girl!" Jamie Tan said to her dog.
Tan says her 1-year-old rescue dog Molly is one smart puppy.
"Molly is exceptionally intelligent," Tan said. "She picks up on everything and she doesn't forget."
And sometimes, it seems like Molly knows what her owner is thinking.
"She's very emotionally intelligent," Tan said. "She picks up on your mood."
Researchers at Duke University tested the intelligence of puppies in what may be one of the most adorable studies ever conducted. The puppies had to find treats using only non-verbal clues.
What scientists found, according to researcher Hannah Salomons, is that even at just 4 months old, puppies can understand us. In fact, they're watching us closely. There's even evidence dogs evolved to better socialize with humans.
"They are really tuned in to our communication and they are prepared to look to us for information," Salomons said.
And they're trying to communicate with us, too.
"We tested how they look to humans and make eye contact to maybe make a connection or ask for help," Salomons said.
For a lot of dog owners, this is no surprise.
"Do you think Pedro understands you?" dog owner Perry Wilson was asked.
"I think he does, he certainly does. Very high learning curve," Wilson said.
And if you're wondering what you can do to encourage your dog's intelligence, the message is simple.
"You're enough for your dog, giving them a nice loving home is going to help them develop really well, and that your dog is looking to you for information," Salomons said.
Maybe our connection with man's best friend was just meant to be.
The more than 100 dogs that participated in the Duke University study are all being trained to be service animals.
