The other morning I had a revelation: I spend a lot of time talking to our dogs. Not just talking as in training language, but actually having full out conversations.
Most of these conversations involve me trying to make deals and rationalize with them, though sometimes I give them choices.
Embarrassingly enough, I was actually called out the other day by a passerby who stopped because he thought I was talking to him, but then I had to admit I was actually talking to the dogs.
I do know for training purposes you are really just supposed to use single small words, because miscellaneous sentences can confuse them. Though it seems I just can't help myself.
Am I the only one, or do you also have conversations with your pooches?
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24 comments:
I talk at length with the Raisin. David has picked up this habit, too. The worst part is when we go ahead and talk back as her voice, as well. You're not alone :)
I continually get made fun of because I always say Please and Thank you to the dogs during the course of our day as they do the right thing. My neighbor says I have a very "Polite" relationship with my dogs........LOL
Of course they understand! Quizz actually will answer certain questions (usually food related). Even better? I have my 71 year old mother having conversations with both Quizz and the cat.
Mugsy is quite the chatter box (in my head). We definitely have lengthy conversations from sports to life goals. He is a very good listener :). The only problem with these fictitious conversations is he always sides with Shannon when there is a disagreement. I just can't win.
I talk with all of the dogs in the family, mine, my moms, my sisters, my in-laws, and my dads. And We make voices that match our dogs personalities too. Its really funny watching my sister-in-law do her boxers voice, cause she has a bad under bite (bottom jaw) so we give her a lisp and a stutter and talk about her blowing snot bubbles. It makes me feel not so alone to know everyone else does it too. :-)
@Diane, I use "thank you" as a marking phrase for when Vinnie does something correct or that I like...my parents think it's absolutely ridiculous that I'm constantly thanking my dog :P
I have talked to every dog I've ever had. I think they may understand a lot more than we give them credit for. And I also say please and thank you to them!
I talk to my dog all the time! Actually, I once read that dogs have about a 25 word vocabulary and I read somewhere else that they have the comprehension of a two year old. Recently a friend brought her two year old daughter over and I was talking to her specifically to find out what she could understand so that I could make the comparison with Ray-Ray. :-)
I routinely have full length conversations with Nala, I'd say that's what happens when you live alone but I do it in front of other people too! (and looks like plenty of others do it even though they also have human companionship 24/7)
I probably talk to my dogs more than I talk to most people...totally not weird. ;)
I talk to my dogs all the time, in fact sometimes I sing to them too. I'm sure people think I'm crazy but that's OK.
I believe that the dogs know they are being spoken to and enjoy having someone give them that attention, even if they don't understand every word.
I have extensive conversations w/Petey. I tell him what we are about to do, ask him how he is and ask him where I put things :)
And...like many of the responses I have an image in my mind of what his voice would be like :)
Oh this is too funny. Thanks for bringing it up. I talk with Summer all the time, although there is a difference between training talk and just conversational talk.
On this mornings' walk, she sneezed and I responded "Bless You." The women walking in the other direction gave me a "look."
Not only do we talk to the dogs, but we respond in our "dog voices". Our neighbors probably think we're weird.
After reading the comments I am glad that I am not the only one who gives my animals voices.
I speak to both the pups and the kitties...and they answer back, strangely all with the same high pitched, lilting voice.
Talk to my dogs ALL the time. Legit conversations. I even do this on photo sessions. Clients LOVE that I have conversations with their dogs and I just simply can't help myself!
Mom talks to us all the time. Sometimes we say hush
Benny & Lily
This post is amazing! I talk to my dogs all the time - it just feels natural. Is that weird? A while back I was walking down the stairs in our apartment building carrying our pup. I held her up to the window to tell her how pretty she was when a few other tenants walked in at the exact same time. Now that was embarrassing.
I talk at lengths with mine as well. There are many words they know though without a doubt. Cheese, walk, Grammy, and dog park are some of them. Charlee even has a twitter account!! http://twitter.com/GeorgiaCharlee
Yes, of course! I think anyone who owns a dog and doesn't talk to them is a weirdo! Even if they don't know what the specific words are, it's amazing how they just "get it" :)
I totally talk to my dog, Mabel and often try to rationalize things with her too. I see someone else commenting says bless you to her dog - and I totally do that too!!!
I talk to my dogs all the time... sometimes Gatsby roo's back at me, if I used a certain excited tone. Lola Lulu will sometimes dance and caper around if I use that tone with her.
I, too, have been busted talking to my dogs in public... I've pretty much gotten over being embarrassed about it, too.
I talk to the dogs & cats all the time. A frequent saying in my house is, 'not you im talking to the dog.' Also studies have shown that dogs can pick out words in your sentences which they have learned over time and can understand a little of what your saying. I also talk to Trinity in full sentences when we train to get her attention & keep her interested in our sesions. But mostly i do commands that she needs to follow. I swear they understand me sometimes. Maybe that's just me though. :)
We have DETAILED talks. Jay will lay nose to nose with Braylon in bed while he talks to her. We love to tell them the story of when we first met them and remind them of silly things they have done. :)
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