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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · 11d

If you want to know more about the ongoing research, you can check out this online lecture: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpjF...

"Can our pets tell us what they are thinking?" with Federico Rossano

YouTube video by Interspecies Internet

www.youtube.com

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · 11d

And if you want to join our citizen science, you can sign up here: cclab.ucsd.edu/pet-cognitio...

Pet Cognition & Communication - Comparative Cognition Lab at UC San Diego

We are studying dog and cat social cognition and interspecies communication. We're looking for citizen scientists!

cclab.ucsd.edu

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · 11d

For more info about the documentary you can check out: ideacom.tv/en/productio...
A special thank you to @rverdecchia.bsky.social, Olly Bootle, Joseph Russell, Emma Ross, Kirstie McLure and all people involved in this production for making this possible.

Can Dogs Talk? | Idéacom International

ideacom.tv

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · 11d

On September 28th at 18:30 the French language premiere of the documentary "Can dogs talk?" will air on @iciradiocanada.bsky.social Découverte series
@cclabucsd.bsky.social work on soundboard trained dogs is a central piece of this documentary. English versions will air on NOVA and CBC in early 2026

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · May 20

I had the most wonderful time presenting our current progress on this project to the amazing @interspecies-io.bsky.social community! If you could not attend but are interested in finding out more about our work, check out the lecture here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpjF...

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · May 6

Thank you so much for the invitation! Very much looking forward to giving this talk and connecting with your community!

Interspecies Internet @interspecies-io.bsky.social · May 6

🚀 New talk: Can Our Pets Tell Us What They’re Thinking? with @federicorossano.bsky.social

Join this lecture and explore the potential and limitations of button-based devices for interspecies communication! 🐶💭

📆Saturday, May 17 ⏰4 pm GMT |12 pm EST |9 am PST 🔗Register here: https://rb.gy/w8ikcn

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Reposted by Federico Rossano

The World @theworld.org · Apr 25

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, owners have been training their dogs to “tell” them what they want by mashing buttons with their paws to express words in various human languages. A UCSD study began to explore the practice further and now includes participants in dozens of countries worldwide.

A new global study allows dogs to ‘talk’ to their owners by pressing buttons that say human words - The World from PRX

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, owners have been training their dogs to “tell” them what they want by mashing buttons with their paws to express words in various human languages. A UCSD study began...

theworld.org

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 30

Today (April 30th) is 🔱 #TritonGivingDay Please donate to support the students in @cclabucsd.bsky.social studying 10,000 pets from 47 countries in the largest Animal Communication study ever attempted! We need your help tinyurl.com/2s3ksem2 ! This beauty is Parker! @ucsandiego.bsky.social

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 22

Thank you to @npr.org , @kpbssandiego.bsky.social @theworld.org and @MarcoWerman for covering our study on pets communication: theworld.org/segments/202...
If you are interested in participating in the study check out: cclab.ucsd.edu

theworld.org

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Reposted by Federico Rossano

Cat Hobaiter @nakedprimate.bsky.social · Apr 20

ips-primatenews.bsky.social @ips-primatenews.bsky.social · Apr 20

Charles Southwick Conservation Education Award nominations! Deadline May 21st!

Know someone living in a primate habitat country that has made a significant contribution to formal & informal conservation education in their country? Please nominate them 1/2

People stand at a blackboard in a School in Uganda sorting pictures of wildlife

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 17

We have a few more on the way (one about cats) that we hope you will find interesting. Critically, we are trying hard to be careful and systematic and we are NOT saying that they are "talking". If you want to participate in the study (or donate to support the work) check out: cclab.ucsd.edu

Comparative Cognition Lab at UC San Diego

cclab.ucsd.edu

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 17

This is the first large dataset longitudinal analysis of how 152 dogs were using those buttons (based on 260,000 presses collected over 21 months). They were using them intentionally and non-randomly and they were not merely mimicking the training they received.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Soundboard-trained dogs produce non-accidental, non-random and non-imitative two-button combinations - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Soundboard-trained dogs produce non-accidental, non-random and non-imitative two-button combinations

www.nature.com

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 17

This is the first experimental paper we published, where we show that they pay attention to the sounds produced by the buttons and they seem to comprehend the meaning of at least some of them. And we rule out Clever Hans effect
dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...

How do soundboard-trained dogs respond to human button presses? An investigation into word comprehension

Past research on interspecies communication has shown that animals can be trained to use Augmentative Interspecies Communication (AIC) devices, such as soundboards, to make simple requests of their ca...

dx.plos.org

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 17

This paper explains why we started the project, why we thought it was reasonable and timely, what we were initially after and some initial descriptive data from Bunny using the buttons
www.researchgate.net/publication/...

Soundboard-using pets?: Introducing a new global citizen science approach to interspecies communication | Request PDF

Request PDF | Soundboard-using pets?: Introducing a new global citizen science approach to interspecies communication | The first studies that sought to establish two-way communication between humans ...

www.researchgate.net

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 17

This is a review of prior research on Augmentative Interspecies Communication devices (such as lexigrams and buttons) with animals. Some of the things we learn and some of the mistakes that were made.

wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Use of Augmentative Interspecies Communication devices in animal language studies: A review

wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 17

Thank you
@ucnewsroom.bsky.social for creating this informative and even handed representation of the challenges and opinions around pets pushing buttons to communicate with humans. See below a few papers we published on it. We have 3 more on the way (one about cats)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTnV...

Are TikTok’s “talking" dogs legit — or just a clever trick? Science explains

YouTube video by Fig. 1 by University of California

www.youtube.com

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Apr 7

A poem for these highly unpredictable times:

Si sta come
D’autunno
Sugli alberi
Le foglie

We feel like
In Autumn
On trees
The leaves

By Giuseppe Ungaretti

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Reposted by Federico Rossano

Comparative Cognition Lab @ UC San Diego @cclabucsd.bsky.social · Mar 4

We are less than a week away from our first ever Detection Dog Trials event with MAN-K9 at UCSD! We hope to see you there, this Saturday & Sunday March 8th & 9th! 🐕🐾

Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Feb 23

The scent detection dog trials will take place on March 8th-9th in La Jolla (CA) at UC San Diego. Professionals and civilians will be competing on different days, judged by professional judges and receiving prizes. This is going to be a one of a kind event and hopefully the first of many.

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Feb 23

@cclabucsd.bsky.social is delighted to move into the amazing realm of working dogs and highly trained family dogs. This event will help us develop new tools to better assess and improve dog-handler communication and bond. Sign up here: detectiondogtrialsucsd.com and please help RT.

Detection Dog Trials @ UCSD

detectiondogtrialsucsd.com

Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Feb 23

The scent detection dog trials will take place on March 8th-9th in La Jolla (CA) at UC San Diego. Professionals and civilians will be competing on different days, judged by professional judges and receiving prizes. This is going to be a one of a kind event and hopefully the first of many.

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Feb 14

A few days ago I was asked by @kncukier.bsky.social for @economist.com "whether language is a cognitive ability that’s unique to humans, or just one of many modes of communication dotted across the tree of life". You can hear the first episode of the conversation that followed here.
econ.st/3COF6QS

Do animals have language?

Our podcast on science and technology. The first episode in a two-part series that explores animal communication and efforts to translate it in the age of AI

econ.st

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Feb 13

Here is the flyer

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Feb 13

‼️The Comparative Cognition Lab at UC San Diego is hosting the Detection Dog Trials in collaboration with MAN-K9! Join us March 8-9th to compete for trophies & prizes, contribute to scientific research, and showcase your dog’s scent detection skills!
Learn more & register: t.co/OdBFzgxAD3

http://www.detectiondogtrialsucsd.com

t.co

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Federico Rossano @federicorossano.bsky.social · Jan 26

Thank you so much Sacha Vignieri and @science.org for the shout out!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

In Other Journals

Editors’ selections from the current scientific literature

www.science.org

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Reposted by Federico Rossano

Many Minds podcast @manymindspod.bsky.social · Jan 21

Fascinating article by @brandonkeim.bsky.social!

If you're interested in learning more about ape gestures, check out our earlier episodes featuring...

@federicorossano.bsky.social: disi.org/species-of-c...

@nakedprimate.bsky.social: disi.org/how-do-chimp...

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/s...

Mother Chimp and Daughter Share a Special Sign

Humans are known to invent private hand gestures. Chimps in the wild do, too, a new study suggests.

www.nytimes.com

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