{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T12:32:23Z","timestamp":1786365143892,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":66,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780012800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786320000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":73,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Anim Cogn"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Understanding whether non-human animals interpret human pointing as cooperative communication remains a central question in comparative cognition. Pointing is a foundational aspect of human communication, yet success in traditional object-choice tasks could theoretically reflect conditioned responses rather than comprehension of communicative intent. Recent work therefore focuses on testing flexible, spontaneous use of gestures in novel contexts. Here, we examined whether bottlenose dolphins (\n                    <jats:italic>Tursiops truncatus<\/jats:italic>\n                    ) could interpret a human point to solve a new problem in a modified \u201cdo-as-I-do\u201d task: selecting which of two conspecific models to imitate. Subjects (\n                    <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009=\u20093) were already proficient in imitating a single model. In this version, they observed two models simultaneously performing different behaviors while the trainer gave the signal to imitate and pointed to one model. To succeed, dolphins had to interpret the point as indicating which model to imitate. All dolphins performed significantly above chance, both in overall imitation accuracy (chance\u2009=\u20091\/11) and when analysis was limited to trials in which they imitated one of the two models (chance = \u00bd). Performance did not improve across trials, indicating spontaneous rather than learned interpretation. These findings demonstrate that non-language-trained dolphins can flexibly apply the meaning of a familiar gesture in a novel context, responding to the same gesture with different behaviors by spontaneously interpreting the meaning of the gesture within the new game. This interpretation suggests an understanding of pointing as cooperative communication rather than a simple discriminative cue, paralleling results in dogs and raising the possibility that dolphins\u2019 abilities evolved through self-domestication and\/or conspecific distal referencing systems such as echolocation.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-026-02068-y","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T16:00:53Z","timestamp":1780070453000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Imitate that one: dolphins spontaneously interpret human pointing gesture in a novel context"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"29","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0421-4861","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hannah","family":"Salomons","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6408-4085","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emily","family":"Guarino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4113-748X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kelly","family":"Jaakkola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"2068_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s100710000070","author":"B Agnetta","year":"2000","unstructured":"Agnetta B, Hare B, Tomasello M (2000) Cues to food location that domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) of different ages do and do not use. Anim Cogn. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s100710000070","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"issue":"1","key":"2068_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-anthro-102313-030223","volume":"43","author":"KA Bard","year":"2014","unstructured":"Bard KA, Leavens DA (2014) The Importance of Development for Comparative Primatology. Annu Rev Anthropol 43(1):183\u2013200. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev-anthro-102313-030223","journal-title":"Annu Rev Anthropol"},{"issue":"5","key":"2068_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"685","DOI":"10.1002\/wcs.77","volume":"1","author":"LA Bates","year":"2010","unstructured":"Bates LA, Byrne RW (2010) Imitation: What animal imitation tells us about animal cognition. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cogn Sci 1(5):685\u2013695. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/wcs.77","journal-title":"Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cogn Sci"},{"issue":"3","key":"2068_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1307","DOI":"10.2466\/pms.1994.79.3.1307","volume":"79","author":"GB Bauer","year":"1994","unstructured":"Bauer GB, Johnson CM (1994) Trained motor imitation by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Percept Mot Skills 79(3):1307\u20131315","journal-title":"Percept Mot Skills"},{"key":"2068_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.2044-835X.2011.02043.x","author":"T Behne","year":"2012","unstructured":"Behne T, Liszkowski U, Carpenter M, Tomasello M (2012) Twelve-month-olds\u2019 comprehension and production of pointing. Br J Dev Psychol. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.2044-835X.2011.02043.x","journal-title":"Br J Dev Psychol"},{"issue":"2","key":"2068_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.119.2.145","volume":"119","author":"J Br\u00e4uer","year":"2005","unstructured":"Br\u00e4uer J, Call J, Tomasello M (2005) All Great Ape Species Follow Gaze to Distant Locations and Around Barriers. J Comp Psychol 119(2):145\u2013154 (2005-06515-003. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0735-7036.119.2.145","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"issue":"4","key":"2068_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"439","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-007-0088-1","volume":"10","author":"J Br\u00e4uer","year":"2007","unstructured":"Br\u00e4uer J, Call J, Tomasello M (2007) Chimpanzees really know what others can see in a competitive situation. Anim Cogn 10(4):439\u2013448. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10071-007-0088-1","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anbehav.2020.05.019","volume":"166","author":"EE Bray","year":"2020","unstructured":"Bray EE, Gruen ME, Gnanadesikan GE, Horschler DJ, Levy KM, Kennedy BS, Hare BA, MacLean EL (2020) Cognitive characteristics of 8- to 10-week-old assistance dog puppies. Anim Behav 166:193\u2013206. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.anbehav.2020.05.019","journal-title":"Anim Behav"},{"key":"2068_CR65","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bromham L, Phillips M, Penny D (1999) Growing up with dinosaurs: molecular dates and the mammalian radiation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 14:113\u2013118","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-5347(98)01507-9"},{"key":"2068_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S030500090700829X","author":"R Brooks","year":"2008","unstructured":"Brooks R, Meltzoff AN (2008) Infant gaze following and pointing predict accelerated vocabulary growth through two years of age: A longitudinal, growth curve modeling study. J Child Lang. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/S030500090700829X","journal-title":"J Child Lang"},{"key":"2068_CR10","unstructured":"Byrne RW (1994) The evolution of intelligence. In: Slater PJB, Halliday TR (eds) Behaviour and Evolution. Cambridge University Press, pp 223\u2013265"},{"issue":"5","key":"2068_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"667","DOI":"10.1017\/S0140525X98001745","volume":"21","author":"RW Byrne","year":"1998","unstructured":"Byrne RW, Russon AE (1998) Learning by imitation: A hierarchical approach. Behav Brain Sci 21(5):667\u2013721","journal-title":"Behav Brain Sci"},{"key":"2068_CR12","unstructured":"Caldwell DK, Caldwell MC (1977) Cetaceans. In: Sebeok TA (ed) How Animals Communicate. Indiana University Press, pp 794\u2013808"},{"key":"2068_CR13","unstructured":"Call J, Tomasello M (1996) The effect of humans on the cognitive development of apes. In: Russon AE, Bard KA, Parker ST (eds) Reaching into Thought: The Minds of the Great Apes. Cambridge University Press, pp 371\u2013403"},{"key":"2068_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/j.beproc.2016.04.004","volume":"128","author":"F Carballo","year":"2016","unstructured":"Carballo F, Freidin E, Casanave E, Bentosela M (2016) Following human pointing: Where do dogs (Canis familiaris) look at to find food? Behav Process 128:37\u201340. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.beproc.2016.04.004","journal-title":"Behav Process"},{"key":"2068_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Carpenter M, Nagell K, Tomasello M, Butterworth G, Moore C (1998) Social Cognition, Joint Attention, and Communicative Competence from 9 to 15 Months of Age. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev, 63(4):1\u2013174","DOI":"10.2307\/1166214"},{"key":"2068_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"178","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2019.06.001","volume":"105","author":"H Clark","year":"2019","unstructured":"Clark H, Elsherif MM, Leavens DA (2019) Ontogeny vs. phylogeny in primate\/canid comparisons: A meta-analysis of the object choice task. Neurosci Biobehavioral Reviews 105:178\u2013189. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2019.06.001","journal-title":"Neurosci Biobehavioral Reviews"},{"key":"2068_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"265","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0310.1991.tb00281.x","volume":"88","author":"SM Dawson","year":"1991","unstructured":"Dawson SM (1991) Clicks and communication: The behavioural and social contexts of Hector\u2019s dolphin vocalizations. Ethology 88:265\u2013276","journal-title":"Ethology"},{"issue":"6","key":"2068_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1111","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-012-0534-6","volume":"15","author":"AM Elgier","year":"2012","unstructured":"Elgier AM, Jakovcevic A, Mustaca AE, Bentosela M (2012) Pointing following in dogs: Are simple or complex cognitive mechanisms involved? Anim Cogn 15(6):1111\u20131119. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10071-012-0534-6","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-007-0091-6","volume":"11","author":"EE Furlong","year":"2008","unstructured":"Furlong EE, Boose KJ, Boysen ST (2008) Raking it in: The impact of enculturation on chimpanzee tool use. Anim Cogn 11:83\u201397","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-psych-010416-044201","author":"B Hare","year":"2017","unstructured":"Hare B (2017) Survival of the Friendliest: Homo sapiens Evolved via Selection for Prosociality. Ann Rev Psychol. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev-psych-010416-044201","journal-title":"Ann Rev Psychol"},{"key":"2068_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Hare B, Tomasello M (1999) Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) use human and conspecific social cues to locate hidden food. J Comp Psychol. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0735-7036.113.2.173","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.113.2.173"},{"key":"2068_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"571","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anbehav.2003.11.011","volume":"68","author":"B Hare","year":"2004","unstructured":"Hare B, Tomasello M (2004) Chimpanzees are more skillful in competitive than in cooperative cognitive tasks. Anim Behav 68:571\u2013581","journal-title":"Anim Behav"},{"key":"2068_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tics.2005.08.010","author":"B Hare","year":"2005","unstructured":"Hare B, Tomasello M (2005) The emotional reactivity hypothesis and cognitive evolution. Trends Cogn Sci. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.tics.2005.08.010","journal-title":"Trends Cogn Sci"},{"key":"2068_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1634","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1072702","volume":"298","author":"B Hare","year":"2002","unstructured":"Hare B, Brown M, Williamson C, Tomasello M (2002) The domestication of social cognition in dogs. Science 298:1634\u20131636","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"2068_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2005.01.040","volume":"15","author":"B Hare","year":"2005","unstructured":"Hare B, Plyusnina I, Ignacio N, Schepina O, Stepika A, Wrangham R, Trut L (2005) Social cognitive evolution in captive foxes is a correlated by\u2013product of experimental domestication. Curr Biol 15:226\u2013230","journal-title":"Curr Biol"},{"key":"2068_CR26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Hauser MD, Comins JA, Pytka LM, Cahill DP, Velez-Calderon S (2011) What experimental experience affects dogs\u2019 comprehension of human communicative actions? Behavioural Processes, 86(1), 7\u201320. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/J.BEPROC.2010.07.011","DOI":"10.1016\/J.BEPROC.2010.07.011"},{"key":"2068_CR27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"450","DOI":"10.1037\/h0053609","volume":"45","author":"KJ Hayes","year":"1952","unstructured":"Hayes KJ, Hayes CM (1952) Imitation in the home\u2013raised chimpanzee. J Comp Physiological Psychol 45:450\u2013459","journal-title":"J Comp Physiological Psychol"},{"key":"2068_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Herman LM (2002) Vocal, social, and self\u2013imitation by bottlenosed dolphins. In: Dautenhahn K, Nehaniv C (eds) Imitation in Animals and Artifacts. MIT Press, pp 63\u2013108","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/3676.003.0004"},{"key":"2068_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Herman LM, Abichandani SL, Elhajj AN, Herman EYK, Sanchez JL, Pack AA (1999) Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) comprehend the referential character of the human pointing gesture. J Comp Psychol 113:347\u2013364. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0735-7036.113.4.347","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.113.4.347"},{"issue":"8","key":"2068_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e43267","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0043267","volume":"7","author":"A Hern\u00e1di","year":"2012","unstructured":"Hern\u00e1di A, Kis A, Turcs\u00e1n B, Top\u00e1l J (2012) Man\u2019s underground best friend: Domestic ferrets, unlike the wild forms, show evidence of dog-like social-cognitive skills. PLoS ONE 7(8):e43267. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0043267","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"2068_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"448","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-7687.00089","volume":"2","author":"S Itakura","year":"1999","unstructured":"Itakura S, Agnetta B, Hare B, Tomasello M (1999) Chimpanzee use of human and conspecific social cues to locate hidden food. Dev Sci 2:448\u2013456","journal-title":"Dev Sci"},{"key":"2068_CR32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.46867\/IJCP.2010.23.04.08","volume":"23","author":"K Jaakkola","year":"2010","unstructured":"Jaakkola K, Guarino E, Rodriguez M (2010a) Blindfolded imitation in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Int J Comp Psychol 23:671\u2013688","journal-title":"Int J Comp Psychol"},{"key":"2068_CR66","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jaakkola K, Guarino E, Rodriguez M, Erb L, Trone M (2010b) What do dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) understand about hidden objects? Anim Cogn. 13(1):103\u2013120","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-009-0250-z"},{"key":"2068_CR33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"701","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-013-0605-3","volume":"16","author":"K Jaakkola","year":"2013","unstructured":"Jaakkola K, Guarino E, Rodriguez M, Hecksher J (2013) Switching strategies: A dolphin\u2019s use of passive and active acoustics to imitate motor actions. Anim Cogn 16:701\u2013709","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anbehav.2004.05.008","volume":"69","author":"J Kaminski","year":"2005","unstructured":"Kaminski J, Riedel J, Call J, Tomasello M (2005) Domestic goats, Capra hircus, follow gaze direction and use social cues in an object choice task. Anim Behav 69:11\u201317","journal-title":"Anim Behav"},{"key":"2068_CR35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kita S (ed) (2003) Pointing: Where Language, Culture, and Cognition Meet. Psychology","DOI":"10.4324\/9781410607744"},{"issue":"3","key":"2068_CR36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"326","DOI":"10.1037\/com0000125","volume":"132","author":"MA Krause","year":"2018","unstructured":"Krause MA, Udell MAR, Leavens DA, Skopos L (2018) Animal pointing: Changing trends and findings from 30 years of research. J Comp Psychol 132(3):326\u2013345. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/com0000125","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"key":"2068_CR37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-009-0221-4","author":"G Lakatos","year":"2009","unstructured":"Lakatos G, Krisztina AE, Ae S, D\u00f3ka A, D\u00e1m Mikl\u00f3si AA, \u00b4, Soproni K, D\u00f3ka A, Mikl\u00f3si \u00c1 (2009) A comparative approach to dogs\u2019 (Canis familiaris) and human infants\u2019 comprehension of various forms of pointing gestures. Anim Cogn. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10071-009-0221-4","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Leavens DA, Cox CM, Hopkins WD (2025) Very short training protocol for understanding referential cues in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Journal of Comparative Psychology. (2026-32708-001). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/com0000424","DOI":"10.1037\/com0000424"},{"issue":"4","key":"2068_CR39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1556\/jep.8.2010.4.3","volume":"8","author":"H Lyn","year":"2010","unstructured":"Lyn H (2010) Environment, methodology, and the object choice task in apes: Evidence for declarative comprehension and implications for the evolution of language. J Evolutionary Psychol JEP 8(4):333\u2013349. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1556\/jep.8.2010.4.3","journal-title":"J Evolutionary Psychol JEP"},{"issue":"4","key":"2068_CR40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"855","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-021-01480-w","volume":"24","author":"H Lyn","year":"2021","unstructured":"Lyn H, Broadway M, Jett SE, Samuelson MM, Christopher J, Chenkin B (2021) The effects of distance on pointing comprehension in shelter dogs. Anim Cogn 24(4):855\u2013865. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10071-021-01480-w","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.31234\/osf.io\/4kncr","author":"J ManyDogs, Espinosa","year":"2023","unstructured":"ManyDogs, Espinosa J, Stevens JR, Alberghina D, Barela J, Bogese M, Bray E, Buchsbaum D, Byosiere S-E, Cavalli C, Dror S, Fitzpatrick H, Freeman MS, Frinton S, Gnanadesikan GE, Guran C-NA, Glover M, Hare B, Hare E, Walsh C (2023) ManyDogs 1: A multi-lab replication study of dogs\u2019 pointing comprehension. PsyArXiv. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.31234\/osf.io\/4kncr","journal-title":"PsyArXiv"},{"key":"2068_CR44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-005-0008-1","volume":"9","author":"A Mikl\u00f3si","year":"2006","unstructured":"Mikl\u00f3si A, Soproni K (2006) A comparative analysis of animals\u2019 understanding of the human pointing gesture. Anim Cogn 9:81\u201389","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.119.2.179","volume":"119","author":"\u00c1 Mikl\u00f3si","year":"2005","unstructured":"Mikl\u00f3si \u00c1, Pongr\u00e1cz P, Lakatos G, Top\u00e1l J, Cs\u00e1nyi V (2005) A comparative study of the use of visual communicative signals in interactions between dogs (Canis familiaris) and humans and cats (Felis catus) and humans. J Comp Psychol 119:179\u2013186","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"key":"2068_CR42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s100710050016","author":"\u00c1 Mikl\u00f6si","year":"1998","unstructured":"Mikl\u00f6si \u00c1, Polg\u00e1rdi R, Top\u00e1l J, Cs\u00e1nyi V (1998) Use of experimenter-given cues in dogs. Anim Cogn. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s100710050016","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anbehav.2011.11.019","volume":"83","author":"NJ Mulcahy","year":"2012","unstructured":"Mulcahy NJ, Hedge V (2012) Are great apes tested with an abject object\u2013choice task? Anim Behav 83:313\u2013321","journal-title":"Anim Behav"},{"issue":"1","key":"2068_CR46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.121.1.34","volume":"121","author":"AA Pack","year":"2007","unstructured":"Pack AA, Herman LM (2007) The dolphin\u2019s (Tursiops truncatus) understanding of human gazing and pointing: Knowing what and where. J Comp Psychol 121(1):34\u201345. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0735-7036.121.1.34","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"issue":"4","key":"2068_CR47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1016\/S0885-2014(97)90017-4","volume":"12","author":"DJ Povinelli","year":"1997","unstructured":"Povinelli DJ, Reaux JE, Bierschwale DT, Allain AD, Simon BB (1997) Exploitation of pointing as a referential gesture in young children, but not adolescent chimpanzees. Cogn Dev 12(4):423\u2013461. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0885-2014(97)90017-4","journal-title":"Cogn Dev"},{"key":"2068_CR48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1205","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anbehav.2010.02.015","volume":"79","author":"L Proops","year":"2010","unstructured":"Proops L, Walton M, McComb K (2010) The use of human\u2013given cues by domestic horses, Equus caballus, during an object choice task. Anim Behav 79:1205\u20131215","journal-title":"Anim Behav"},{"issue":"14","key":"2068_CR50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3137","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2021.06.051","volume":"31","author":"H Salomons","year":"2021","unstructured":"Salomons H, Smith KCM, Callahan-Beckel M, Callahan M, Levy K, Kennedy BS, Bray EE, Gnanadesikan GE, Horschler DJ, Gruen M, Tan J, White P, vonHoldt BM, MacLean EL, Hare B (2021) Cooperative Communication with Humans Evolved to Emerge Early in Domestic Dogs. Curr Biol 31(14):3137\u20133144e11. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2021.06.051","journal-title":"Curr Biol"},{"issue":"1","key":"2068_CR51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-024-01901-6","volume":"27","author":"H Salomons","year":"2024","unstructured":"Salomons H, Sokoloff J, Hare B (2024) Companion dogs flexibly and spontaneously comprehend human gestures in multiple contexts. Anim Cogn 27(1):78. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10071-024-01901-6","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"key":"2068_CR49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123410","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anbehav.2025.123410","volume":"232","author":"H Salomons","year":"2026","unstructured":"Salomons H, Ferrans M, Cusato C, Moore K, Woods V, Bray E, Kennedy B, Block T, Douglas L, Roberts A, Gruen M, Hare B (2026) Longitudinal evidence for the emergence of multiple intelligences in assistance dog puppies. Anim Behav 232:123410. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.anbehav.2025.123410","journal-title":"Anim Behav"},{"key":"2068_CR52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.117.4.355","volume":"117","author":"AD Shapiro","year":"2003","unstructured":"Shapiro AD, Janik VM, Slater PJB (2003) Gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup responses to experimental\u2013given pointing and directional cues. J Comp Psychol 117:355\u2013365","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"issue":"1","key":"2068_CR53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.116.1.27","volume":"116","author":"K Soproni","year":"2002","unstructured":"Soproni K, Mikl\u00f3si \u00c1, Top\u00e1l J, Cs\u00e1nyi V (2002) Dogs\u2019 (Canis familaris) responsiveness to human pointing gestures. J Comp Psychol 116(1):27\u201334 (2002-00850-003. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0735-7036.116.1.27","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"issue":"4","key":"2068_CR54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"334","DOI":"10.1037\/a0039462","volume":"129","author":"T Tauzin","year":"2015","unstructured":"Tauzin T, Cs\u00edk A, Kis A, Top\u00e1l J (2015) What or where? The meaning of referential human pointing for dogs (Canis familiaris). J Comp Psychol 129(4):334\u2013338. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/a0039462","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"key":"2068_CR55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"286","DOI":"10.1163\/156853973X00436","volume":"44","author":"CK Tayler","year":"1973","unstructured":"Tayler CK, Saayman GS (1973) Imitative behaviour by Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in captivity. Behaviour 44:286\u2013296","journal-title":"Behaviour"},{"key":"2068_CR56","unstructured":"Tomasello M (1995) Joint attention as social cognition. In: Moore C, Dunham PJ (eds) Joint Attention: Its Origins and Role in Development. Erlbaum, pp 301\u2013312"},{"key":"2068_CR57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tomasello M (2019) Becoming human: A theory of ontogeny. Belknap Press of Harvard University","DOI":"10.4159\/9780674988651"},{"key":"2068_CR58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-004-0227-x","volume":"7","author":"M Tomasello","year":"2004","unstructured":"Tomasello M, Call J (2004) The role of humans in the cognitive development of apes revisited. Anim Cogn 7:213\u2013215","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"},{"issue":"6","key":"2068_CR59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1067","DOI":"10.2307\/1132292","volume":"68","author":"M Tomasello","year":"1997","unstructured":"Tomasello M, Call J, Gluckman A (1997) Comprehension of Novel Communicative Signs by Apes and Human Children. Child Dev 68(6):1067\u20131080","journal-title":"Child Dev"},{"issue":"1","key":"2068_CR60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1037\/0735-7036.115.1.100","volume":"115","author":"A Tschudin","year":"2001","unstructured":"Tschudin A, Dunbar RIM, Call J, Harris G, Van Der Elst C (2001) Comprehension of signs by dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). J Comp Psychol 115(1):100\u2013105. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0735-7036.115.1.100","journal-title":"J Comp Psychol"},{"issue":"2","key":"2068_CR61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anbehav.2009.11.033","volume":"79","author":"MAR Udell","year":"2010","unstructured":"Udell MAR, Wynne CDL (2010) Ontogeny and phylogeny: Both are essential to human-sensitive behaviour in the genus Canis. Anim Behav 79(2):e9\u2013e14. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.anbehav.2009.11.033","journal-title":"Anim Behav"},{"issue":"3","key":"2068_CR62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"547","DOI":"10.1002\/dev.21125","volume":"56","author":"V Wobber","year":"2014","unstructured":"Wobber V, Herrmann E, Hare B, Wrangham R, Tomasello M (2014) Differences in the early cognitive development of children and great apes. Dev Psychobiol 56(3):547\u2013573. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/dev.21125","journal-title":"Dev Psychobiol"},{"key":"2068_CR63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.3758\/BF03199007","volume":"24","author":"MJ Xitco","year":"1996","unstructured":"Xitco MJ, Roitblat HL (1996) Object recognition through eavesdropping: Passive echolocation in bottlenose dolphins. Anim Learn Behav 24:355\u2013365","journal-title":"Anim Learn Behav"},{"issue":"3","key":"2068_CR64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1035","DOI":"10.1007\/s10071-023-01756-3","volume":"26","author":"J Zamorano-Abramson","year":"2023","unstructured":"Zamorano-Abramson J, Hern\u00e1ndez-Lloreda MV, Colmenares F, Call J (2023) Orcas remember what to copy: A deferred and interference-resistant imitation study. Anim Cogn 26(3):1035\u20131048. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10071-023-01756-3","journal-title":"Anim Cogn"}],"container-title":["Animal Cognition"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10071-026-02068-y","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10071-026-02068-y.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10071-026-02068-y.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T12:04:50Z","timestamp":1786363490000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s10071-026-02068-y"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]]},"references-count":66,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]}},"alternative-id":["2068"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10071-026-02068-y","relation":{},"ISSN":["1435-9456"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1435-9456","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]]},"assertion":[{"value":"14 November 2025","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"8 April 2026","order":2,"name":"revised","label":"Revised","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"9 April 2026","order":3,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"29 May 2026","order":4,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"All applicable international, national, and\/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethics Approval","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}],"article-number":"52"}}