At Salazar Scoops, we love helping people clean their yards so they can enjoy the space with their four-legged friends and family again. With a little help from some of our friends, we decided to clean one of our community’s yards. Scooping for a Cause Monroe Park Gets a Makeover
Does your dog quietly tilt their head at the mention of “treat” or “walk?” It turns out they’re not just getting ready to wag their tail; they’re actually listening. Our four-legged friends pick up on certain words we use often. But the cleverest canines can actually learn brand-new vocabulary by eavesdropping on everyday conversations. Does the latest study on canine communication from the journal Science mean your loyal pet might be a budding linguist? BRAINY BEST FRIENDS Almost all dogs can hear the tone of our voice, recognize hand movements, or associate a word with a physical object they are shown. Only a handful of pups can learn the name of a new toy without even looking at it, as long as their human is glancing at the area where that toy is located. Bright breeds like border collies are particularly good at interpreting social cues to understand what their owners are talking about. WORD-WISE WOOFERS Determining just how many words a dog can learn is tricky. Many dogs learn commands like “fetch,” but they wouldn’t know the difference between “fetch the ball” or “fetch the Frisbee.” Only a small number of dogs can pick up on the difference and understand that certain names refer to specific objects. Some pups are naturals with language, and owners usually notice when their dog reacts correctly to words they did not train them to understand. TYPICAL TAIL-WAGGERS To test how these brainy dogs learn words that aren’t directed at them, cognitive scientist Shany Dror of Eötvös Loránd University and the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, experimented with her colleagues. The dog got to look at a new toy, and then their owner placed it out of sight in a bucket. The owner would talk to the dog, mention the toy’s name, and look at the bucket. It proved a challenge, and typical pet dogs just gave a head tilt. However, the word-wise woofers could retrieve that toy when asked. Some Pups Are Secret Linguists Barking Up the Right Vocabulary
Thanks to an incredible team of students, volunteers, local partners, and our crew, Monroe Park is looking a little different today, in the best way. This community space is now safer, cleaner, and way more enjoyable for everyone, especially the dogs.
We teamed up with neighbor Shardae Jones, Ogden Civic Action Network, St. Joseph Catholic Schools, Grounds for Coffee, and Ogden Parks, Cemetery & Trails for a day of scooping and some pet-friendly upgrades. The whole team rolled up their sleeves to clean up and show this community space some much-needed love.
Students from the school also helped install four brand-new pet waste stations, so the park stays tidy for families, kids, and their pups.
Thank you to everyone who came out and pitched in. As a local family business, it meant
so much to us to be in a position to give back to the community that’s given us so much. This was our first volunteer event, and it was great to meet more dog-loving neighbors and young people who were willing to do something kind for others. At Salazar Scoops, we’re proud to be part of the Ogden community. Monroe Park is a testament to the good that can happen when people (and dogs) come together to pay it forward. We hope this outdoor space is a constant reminder of what it means to be a neighbor, and maybe we have some future scoopers in the making!
Scoop Club Bonus: For every person you refer,
earn two free weeks of scooping in your yard!
So, the next time your dog perks up mid-conversation, they might be learning your language.
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