This Is How People in West Virginia Are Getting Their Dogs to Listen

West Virginia dog owners struggling to get their pups to follow directions might finally have an answer—scientists have discovered the most effective way to get a dog’s attention.

New Study Reveals the Best Way to Grab Your Dog’s Attention

According to a recent study, the key to success is both pointing and making eye contact with the object you want your dog to focus on.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna and published on February 12, found that dogs respond best when their owners use both their gaze and gestures to communicate.

Eye-Tracking Technology Reveals What Dogs Pay Attention To

To conduct the research, scientists fitted 20 dogs with eye-tracking headgear to analyze exactly where they looked in different scenarios. The study included breeds such as Staffordshire terriers, Australian shepherds, poodles, and mixed-breed dogs.

During the experiment, a researcher kneeled in front of each dog with two bowls placed nearby—only one containing a hidden treat. The dogs were then presented with five different scenarios, including:

• The researcher pointing at the bowl while looking at the dog.
• The researcher pointing at the bowl while looking at it.
• The researcher looking at the bowl without pointing.
• A classic dog-owner trick—pretending to throw a ball toward the bowl while actually keeping it in their hand.

The Best (and Worst) Ways to Get Your Dog to Pay Attention

The results were clear: dogs followed directions best when the researcher both pointed at and looked at the correct bowl. However, they struggled the most when researchers used the fake ball toss—a move many dog owners in West Virginia are guilty of trying.

The findings suggest that dogs don’t just react to movement but may actually understand human communication cues. This could mean they recognize that their owner is trying to tell them something important rather than simply following gestures.

Are Dogs Smarter Than We Think? More Research Is Needed

While the study suggests that dogs can process human communication cues, researchers caution against making broad assumptions. Lead researcher Christoph Voelter emphasized that it’s still unclear whether dogs fully understand these gestures in the same way humans do.

“Is it for them more like an imperative directive to go somewhere? Or do they understand it more in a communicative way?” Voelter questioned.

Further studies will explore whether dogs can also learn and remember objects better when directly addressed by humans. These findings could offer valuable insights into how dogs interpret human behavior—giving West Virginia pet owners a better way to train their four-legged companions.

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