0
0
Do dogs understand?
As the owner of two pugs, I will admit I have daily conversations with my dogs. I’ve read articles that say that dogs don’t understand what their owners say. I disagree. I know my pugs understand what I am saying because they respond to what I say to them.
Talking to your pet is a sign of intelligence and imagination
I have good news about people who talk to their dogs: According to behavioral science professor, Nicholas Epsey from the University of Chicago, talking to your pet is a sign of intelligence and imagination, meaning people who chit-chat with their pets are smart and creative.
Teaching your dog shorter sentences enables them
Research over the last two decades shows dogs really can understand human communication. We don’t communicate with our dogs like we do with another person. We tend to make the sentences shorter or say a single word to them so they can understand and learn the meaning of that word. Teaching a dog shorter sentences or one word repetitively enables the dog to learn. There is a lot of research that confirms that humans can connect with their dogs because we really aren’t that different. Dogs want love just like we do. They want to be loved, cared for, they want a close relationship with their owner, they love to be talked to, etc… Dogs and humans may communicate a little differently, but we can understand and build a relationship with each other.
Dogs sense how we are feeling
Sometimes, it seems like Molly and Dolly can read my mind. Sometimes, I don’t even have to say what I’m thinking because they understand. I notice that they pay attention to the tone of my voice and my body language. They can tell when I’m excited!! They also know when I’m angry, worried, or upset. When I’m upset and crying, they are always by my side… they just know. I don’t know how, but they know. I always get a hug from my pugs at those times. It’s priceless and even though they may not know WHY I’m upset, they know that something is not quite right. They stay by my side until I tell them it’s OK. I don’t know about you all, but I love that.
Talking to your dog provides comfort
Another thing: Even if you don’t believe that your dog understands WHAT you say, don’t quit talking to him. Dogs love to hear our voice and it provides a source of comfort for them. Here’s an example: Really loud lighting and thunder scares my girls. If they are asleep and it booms loud, they jump up and look at me with a worried look. I immediately tell them it’s Ok and pet them. After I do that, they are no longer worried. They lie back down and go back to sleep. To me, that means that they trust me and even though they may not totally understand everything I say, when I say, “It’s Ok,” they know what that means.
Dogs are great listeners
Pugs tend to tilt their heads when you are talking to them… first one way, then the other… LOL!! It’s adorable. There’s been a lot of research and controversy on this subject and why they do it. I believe they are trying to understand what we are saying. They are listening intently and that’s the reason for the head tilt.
Link words to objects or behaviors
Dogs best understand words if they can link them to objects or behaviors. Examples: sit or walk. If you tell your pug to sit and he does it, then you give him a treat, he will understand if he sits, he gets a reward. Same with walk. If you tell them, “Let’s go for a walk,” then take them, they will link getting to go to the park very quickly. My girls caught on to this almost immediately. When Molly was little, we took her to a certain park that we lived near every night. This park became “Molly’s park.” Years later, when we got Dolly, we moved to a different house. We started walking the girls at a different park. Still today, I rotate parks. Some nights we go to Molly’s park, and other nights we go to the park that is closer to my home. When we get ready to go for our nightly walk, I’ll look at Molly and say, “Are we going to your park tonight?” She knows exactly what I mean because if I change my mind and go to the other park, she lets me know it. She’ll whine and look at me like, “this is NOT my park.” I have to be careful and not get her hopes up unless we really are going to “her park.” When I tell her we are going to her park, she knows exactly where it is and when we are getting close to it. She gets so excited, wants me to roll the window down and sticks her head out until we get there.
Another place they know is Petco. I can ask them if they want to go to Petco and they will literally do a dance around the apartment until we leave. They’ll sit quietly and look out the window while I’m driving UNTIL I get within 10 blocks of the pet store. When I get within 10 blocks, they will start whining and pawing at the window until we pull up and I shut the car off. Then, they can’t get out of the car quick enough. They love to walk around the store, smell all the doggie smells and get their favorite treats. So… do they know that word? ABSOLUTELY!! It’s probably one of their favorite words. LOL.
Here’s some words and phrases that Molly knows. This is not all of them by any means, but just some I can think of tonight while writing this blog post. Dolly knows some of these, but not all of them.
Words and Phrases Molly knows!!
Grandma
Petco
Walk
Park
Treat
Peanut Butter
Cookie
Sit
Come here
Stay
Do you want to take pictures?
Potty
Are you done?
Let’s go home.
Is this your baby?
No
No Bark
Leave it
Are you ready to go night, night?
Do you want supper?
Are you hungry?
Where is your boy?
Where’s Jake?
Who is it?
I’ll be right back.
Lay down
Do you want a bath?
Do you want me to scratch your belly?
Where’s your sissy?
Where’s Dolly?
You’re a good girl.
Give me a hug.
Do you want to go see the doc?
Pack your bag to go to Grandma’s house.
Do you wanna go Bye Bye?
Do you want a treat?
Play dead
High five
Shake
Roll over
Jump
Do you want a kiss?
Let’s run
Where’s your harness?
Where’s your leash?
Is this your bed?
Is this your toy?
Do you want to go see Sassy?
Is this your book?
Do you want a bite?
Do you need a drink?
Do you want to go for a walk?
Do you want some ice cream?
Breakfast
Dinner
Lunch
Snack
Bone
Night Night
Bed
How many phrases or words does your dog know? Do you talk to them like I do? Do you think they understand you?
Until next time,
Love and Pug Kisses,
Candy
