Reference: American Kennel Club (AKC)
More facts about dogs.
Prairie dogs, those little pups popping in and out of holes on vacant lots and rural rangeland, are talking up a storm. They have different "words" for tall human in yellow shirt, short human in green shirt, coyote, deer, red-tailed hawk and many other creatures.
Dachshunds were bred with long bodies and short legs so they could dig into badger burrows and chase the animals underground. Their shape is basically a piece of hunting equipment, not just a cute design.
There are arctic legends that speak of a time when man could understand and speak with whales. In fact, many legends worldwide speak of a time when people and animals understood each other.