Human brains can decode language in milliseconds. Yet for dogs, it’s different. They are not processing words as we do. Dogs build meaning from sound, movement, emotional tone, context and reinforcement history – a multi-step interpretation process that takes time.
When a dog pauses before responding, they may not be ignoring us at all. They may simply be thinking. Many owners describe this as a dog “not listening” or “being slow to respond”, when in reality the dog is working through information.
This gap between cue and action is known as the processing window – the time a dog’s brain needs to register information, interpret it, select a behaviour and initiate movement. A dog’s processing window changes with age, arousal, the complexity of the environment, and their learning history, which is why some dogs take longer to respond to cues in busy or unfamiliar situations.
Watch the Processing Window episode to learn more about this. Explore the full Science of Connection playlist for more episodes, including the Longevity Loop, highlighting the impact of ageing on dogs.
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