ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A Rochester woman’s rescue dog is turning heads in the academic world for a surprising skill: counting.
Gale Karpel adopted Oliver, a 13-year-old dog who had suffered severe abuse before being rescued. “He was totally abused. He had been kicked and thrown,” Karpel said. “It’s just terrible. And this wonderful girl saved them all.”
After receiving care, Oliver recovered physically—and soon revealed an unexpected talent. Despite his age and cataracts, Karpel noticed signs of high intelligence. “People always comment on how one ear is always up. I call it his listening ear,” she said.
Intrigued, Karpel began testing his abilities using treats and wooden blocks. “I’d give him three treats and count, ‘1, 2, 3.’ I did that for years,” she said. Eventually, she tried a similar approach with blocks. “I put three in front of him and asked how many. He counted to three. Then I added more—he counted to six, then eight. I took some away, and he counted to five.”
Impressed, Karpel contacted Cornell University. She learned from the head of behavioral therapy that Oliver’s skills align with studies conducted by Emory University on dogs’ numerical comprehension. Karpel plans to reach out to Emory for further evaluation.
“They say crows and other animals can recognize quantities instantly. Maybe dogs can too,” she said.
Until then, Karpel continues working with Oliver, eager to explore his cognitive abilities. “There have to be other dogs like him,” she said. “If he can do this, he can probably do even more.”