Do you talk to your dog/cat as if they could actually understand you?

[undeterred]

Today I heard someone at the dog park say "Barney, don't get involved" when a dogfight was starting...

[Lavender Brown]

1. She does understand me!

I know from her facial expressions.

[Zuni]

22. she sure is pretty!

[cestpaspossible]

2. The only way they can learn what you're saying is if you talk to them.

[MuseRider]

3. Of course!

Our smallest doggie has real issues. We talk often.

[Mutley]

4. Yes, and people look at me like I'm crazy, even my dog.

[Madrone]

5. Yes - and they do understand me.

My dog, for exampe - I can give him choices. "No Bark! OR Crate!" - for example. Once in awhile he'll stop, consider it for a moment, apparently decide he's lacking in self control and appear to say F' IT - and crate himself. LOL Usually, he stops whatever he's doing.

That's a weak example from my list - but the easiest to explain and type!

My cats "Get it" too.

[undeterred]

7. Well, I would consider those special words that they've learned

This morning, if my dog looked like he was going to join a fight I would have said "NO!" and he would understand.

But if I calmly said "Don't get involved, think about it first" without raising my voice, I doubt I'd get my message across!

I feel like most of my communication with my dog is non-verbal, actually.

:hi:

[Madrone]

12. That's why I said it was a weak example - :)

But supposedly, a dog isn't supposed to even be able to process something as simple as that - a choice between two outcomes.

Another cliff note - more aligned with what you are describing.

I was babysitting a coworkers dog. My dog fell in LOVE with the other dog - to the point of being ridiculous. The other dog slept in a crate at night - which was GOOD because the 2 of them would never have settled down otherwise. Anyway - MY dog kept going over to the crate and gazing longingly at his buddy trapped inside. He was really pathetic...LOL Anyway, this prompted the visitor to whine and cry loudly - and here I am trying to sleep because I've got to work the next day. I kept yelling at my dog to get to bed - he'd come lay down, then be off the bed to shoot pitiful looks at his buddy, back on the bed when I yelled - back and forth it went. I was VERY annoyed and finally yelled at my dog to get back in BED!! When he came in and layed down I looked at him, and I explained "Look Bodhi - TJ has to sleep in his crate. That is where he sleeps, and what he is used to. You need to leave him alone or he is going to be more upset and keep crying. I need to get some sleep, and I cannot do so with you on and off the bed, and TJ having a fit. You will get to see TJ tomorrow, and play with him all you like. So knock it off, now."

Viola! My dog stayed in bed and never went to sadly gaze at his buddy again. He also visibly relaxed.

It kinda weirded me out - if you want to know the truth.

[undeterred]

14. Yeah, they "get it" at some level

I've been unemployed a few times over the last few years, and am currently not working. For my dog its the difference between my being home and with him all day- taking long unhurried walks together, or him getting walks at the beginning and end of the day with long lonely times in between.

The first week I go back to work he tries to throw himself out the door with me. Then I make my "mommy has to go to work to earn money to buy dog treats" speech. Eventually he gets used to it again, and he just lies on his couch when I am leaving and gives me a diry look. "Yeah, just go." Weekends are kinda confusing for him because I'm sure he hopes we're going back to that other lifestyle again!

[ewagner]

6. My understanding is that

Border Collies have about the same mental ability as a two-year-old.....a very CLEVER 2-year-old.

[undeterred]

8. I used to have a border collie, and I can honestly say she learned words

that I never tried to teach her. It was kind of scary. My current dog is not nearly so bright, but he's easier to live with actually!

[hlthe2b]

33. My Aussie leans words even when whispered or spelled...

Regardless of inflection or emphasis.... It has come to the point where we refer to "the thing of which we do not speak #1 (peanut butter), #2 (ice cream), #3 (going to....), etc., etc.

So, for the naysayers, I'll grant you that the explanation may be the highly tune ability to "read body language," along with spoken words, that animals have--it is a survival mechanism, after all. But this also gives them a very high emotional IQ, since dogs pick up on moods, fear, etc, etc.

[mahina]

9. She has about 100 words. And learns more all the time.

Our bookeeper accidentally taught her "Cheerios" last week by asking if she wanted some, then giving them to her. I know because the next day when i asked my son if he wanted Cheerios or eggs for breakfast she started hopping all over the kitchen. "Cheerios? I LOVE CHEERIOS!!!!"

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. My poor dog is deaf

She has been for almost a year now. Alas, our long heart felt talks are no more. I used to carry on conversations with her and she would grunt in just the right places, just like my husband used to do. I always liked to think she and my husband, did understand me and that was their way of replying. Hey, at least she maintained eye contact with me when I spoke to her, that's more than he ever did. :P

[welshTerrier2]

16. i've started mixing in "sign language" with my pup ...

she now responds to hand signals for come here, wait, sit, down, rollover, go over there ... i'm sure it would be tougher to teach a dog new things when the dog is already deaf but it's probably worth a try ...

[Lone_Star_Dem]

19. Hand signals are the way to go

She was trained with a combination of hand and vocal commands so she does still "understand". Three years ago when the vet said she was beginning to lose her hearing we started expanding on that. She now has a pretty full vocabulary of "signs". She's happy and very healthy for a 15 year old dog.

[China_cat]

41. I started teaching our one dog

sign. She figured out that if she didn't see the signs, she didn't have to 'listen' to me. So she'd turn her back.

[welshTerrier2]

43. half the battle ...

well, understanding that our dogs are smarter than we are is half the battle ...

[undeterred]

17. My dog is 12 going on 13 and seems to be losing his hearing

but its hard to tell when he is just ignoring me. So I am starting to make signs when I talk to him and hopefully he will learn it that way.

Husbands - much harder to train!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

23. That's how old mine was when she started going deaf

I did the sign treatment with my girl and she picked up really well. She already knew the hand signs for basic commands and quickly picked up on the ones for "want a treat?", "is that a squirrel?", "look there" (followed by a hand gesture and pointing) and the like. She does very well for a deaf dog.

The really odd thing is she doesn't bark anymore. She now will come up and nudge me like I do her when I want her attention. It's as if she thinks were all just being quiet now days.

[Scout1071]

11. Of course he understands. Just look into his eyes!

[Nikia]

13. My dog understands me

I'm sure of it. Sometimes I think that he can actually understand me psychically. I have called him mentally and he has come. I suppose that might be a coincidence. On the otherhand, if I plan on leaving and think about it for any length of time, he follows me down the stairs and to the door and barks at me when I leave. If I decide at the last minute to leave the house, he doesn't follow me.

[Scout1071]

15. Agreed. All I have to do is think about taking him for a run and

voila! He's on me like white on rice.

[Deja Q]

18. My co-workers told me to. Probably because the pets are more likely to...

listen.

[serryjw]

20. Sorry, to disagree BUT Einstein

did understand what I said and responded accordingly.

[flamingyouth]

21. I talk to my *deaf* cat as if he totally understands me.

Even when he's not looking at me. :D

[Shoeempress]

24. I always talk to my cats, I know they understand me but don't

respond because they don't talk to the servants.

[Karenina]

25. Gordon , an oversized hairy mutt

is tri-lingual. Hebrew, German and Englisch.
No problem.

[zbdent]

26. To a degree. My cat comes when I whistle, and dogs do understand

some concepts.

I can tell our dog to go get a specific toy, and that it's "in the bedroom" - they understand key phrases/words/concepts - in a limited way.

Now, Higher math - I'm stuck on that . . .

[grace0418]

27. My cat is very chatty and if I talk to him he meows right back.

He knows when I'm talking to him too. He has a huge variety of vocalizations and I can tell his various moods from the way he "talks." When I've had a hard day and I tell him so, he jumps on my lap and pats my face. Gosh I love that little guy.

[ScreamingMeemie]

28. Two words..Shetland Sheepdog. She knows more than I do. The cat

is also a quick study. They like to poke each other in the morning (whoever gets up first). This creates quite a bit of havoc. I usually say, "First poker gets shut in the bedroom..." and the both slink away.

Pets can totally understand you. Jessie went nuts over my last miscarriage...before I even knew.

[UrbScotty]

29. Whenever I say "walk" or "ride" she gets anxious.

:D

[brook]

30. Of course they understand.

My dobie (now over the Rainbow Bridge) had two white toys. One was Snoopy - the other a snowman. If I asked where "Mr. Snowy" was, he'd bring me the snowman & vice versa.

These days I have two bluejays that I feed peanuts - I talk to them and they react somewhat appropriately.

[hlthe2b]

31. WTF? It is Repug/COnservatives with whom we should question

whether or not there is any hope of them understanding verbal language. Dogs? Of course they can!

Barney knew what they were saying, I have no doubt. Why do we "misunderestimate" doggy intelligence at the same time the world OVERESTIMATES Bush*'s?

[swag]

32. Of course I do.

And my cat is deaf and senile.

[barb162]

34. of course, because they understand when they want to understand

like tone of voice

[ashling]

35. First of all,

The snarky tone of your question(as if reveals that you have serious issues. :eyes:

I got through my teenage years talking to my dog Fred. He was the only one that understood and listened compassionately. Really.
:shrug:

However, one should never talk "baby talk" to their pet - especially in public. Not only is this condescending and patronizing, it is downright rude, and embarrasing to the pet and anybody having to listen to this drivel. (not to mention annoying)
It reveals serious psychological, shall we say, "idiosynchrosies" in the owner.
"Abnormalities" may be a better word.

When I was 15 I worked in a vet clinic and frequently had to answer a call for MOP UP FRONT! On one occassion I was mopping up after a small dog for what small dogs do naturally and without embarassment.
The owner was in the prossess of patronizing the poor puppy by saying - right there in front of God and everybody -
"Ooooooooh, we aw sooooo embawassed, awen't we? We pwomiss not to do that again."

I so wanted the little dog to say: "Well, actually NO. You may be embarassed, but I reserve the right to do those things which are naturally within the province of a dog to do. Was'nt it Elanor Rosevelt who once said: 'No, one can make you feel inferior but yourself?' "

[ScreamingMeemie]

36. Sorry, I'll reserve my right to baby talk to my pets. They adore it.

As they come running to me. There's nothing wrong with a little baby talk. Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. :hi:

[undeterred]

37. snarky tone?

Save your :eyes: for the real enemy OK?

Only you mis-interpreted my post. Take a reading comprehension class, ok?

[ashling]

40. I didn't mean to offend, really

1) ( and this in response to Mrs Grumpy as well)
I didn't use the SARCASM smilie because I considered my whole diatribe to be, as Peter Davies says in Finding Neverland, "just a bit of silliness, really." (I love that line, my wife - and my dog and cat - are getting tired of me repeating it:))

2) I only used the word "snarky" because it is - and the best comedy writers on the planet will agree with me for reasons that I won't go into here- a funny word.

3) The :eyes: were intended to be self deprecating.

4) I did not mean to offend. are we still:pals:?

The only serious part of my post referred to talking to my dog Fred. Unfortunately for those of us left behind, he has long since gone on. Thank you Fred, wherever you are.

:pals:

[Catchawave]

38. Shhhhhhhhh....

My dog doesn't know she's a dog, we haven't told her yet.

[Cooley Hurd]

39. I have complete conversations with my pet...

...and my plants, and my furniture. What... you don't????

[BuelahWitch]

42. I not only talk to my cat

I sing to her! ;-)