And, it turns out, some dogs can also learn by eavesdropping. Until now, it was not known if GWL dogs could also learn new object labels when not directly addressed. Overall, the GWL dogs performed just as well when learning from speech they overheard as when they were directly taught. In the experiment called a discontinuity condition, dog owners first showed the dogs the toys and then put the objects inside of a bucket. However, since GWL dogs are extremely rare, their abilities likely reflect a combination of nature and nurture.