The genius dog with a 1,022-word vocabulary

A top dog named Chaser knows the names of over 1,000 objects. How did she get so smart?

Chaser was told to find a toy and correctly chose the plastic squeaky chicken.
(Image credit: NewScientist.com)

A Border collie named Chaser has gone far beyond "sit," "stay," and "roll over." Working with her owner, a psychologist, and his colleagues at Wofford University in South Carolina, the dog has learned the names of more than 1,000 objects, far surpassing the lexicon of the average pooch and setting a new doggy-vocabulary record. (See Chaser at work.) Here, a brief guide to Chaser and her astounding way with words:

How smart is Chaser?

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