Do you talk to your dog?

[sigp220.45]

Not the usual stuff, like sit or stay or get off my leg or don't lick yourself there.

I talk to Randy like he's a person. Most of the time its just me and him, so I just jabber away about whatever. He seems to appreciate it. The other day I was explaining how to make coffee to him and I noticed my wife looking at me like I was nuts. Not the first time, by the way.

I did the same with my kids - I never baby talked them, but always just talked to them like they were adults. They turned out ok.

Here he is, looking up at me as I type this:



He hasn't actually talked back yet, but he makes some interesting sounds.

So, am I alone in this peculiar behavior?

 

[Jebus35745]

Talk to mine all the time, she greets me at the door with her tail goin like crazy when I come home. Larry

 

[finesse_r]

I don't usually admit to it, but yes I talk to my dog all the time. She may not understand, but she seems to like the attention and the tone of my voice. Since I never tire of hearing myself pontificate, and my dog does not seem to mind, I talk to her often.

 

[walkinghorse]

YES!
He is better at understanding me than I am him.

 

[Model 19 6"]

Wife won't talk while watching TV so I talk with my JRT.

 

[arjay]

All the time,she makes more sense than the ex did [emoji1]

 

[Peak53]

The more you treat them like one of your family, the more they treat you like one of their's. It's all good.

 

[regalsc]

Of course I talk to my dog & anyone that says they don't does.

 

[hangnoose]

If you consider begging & pleading talking, then yes.

 

[Johnny_w]

Not only do I talk to him, he has hundreds of nicknames.
Gunter Von Happypuppy
Stinkus
Stinkopotomus
Stinkocalypse
Festus
Tinkles
Killer
Wimpus
Freakus
Dirty Dingus
Dingus
Snorro
Woofus
It goes on but he always seems to know I'm talking to him.

 

[kozmic]

Our dogs are a part of most conversations in our house. They get ridiculous amounts of interaction from my wife and I. I will always go directly to them when I walk into a room, give them a scratch behind the ears and strike up some small talk.

Same goes for our house cat and the feral freeloader who adopted us. I always talk to them, but they really don't care.

 

[Sconnie]

Here he is, looking up at me as I type this:



He hasn't actually talked back yet, but he makes some interesting sounds.

Of course. And while he did not talk back in English I knew what he was saying. By the way, Randy is telling you to stop playing with that stupid computer and throw the ball! It's all in the eyes...

 

[anoblefox]

My wife always tells our dogs "Im going to run an errend, I will be back soon"when she leaves them in the house alone while she is away. At first I thought this was a bit silly. However, dogs like having routines, they know what to expect and feel more secure. After she has done this so many times, our dogs immediately go lay on their beds and know we will be gone for a short time and soon be back.This, as opposed to being gone for half the day.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I have done it.

 

[CoMF]

Sure do! Most of the time to remind her she's the worst.

I'm half-joking. Shibas are definitely not for everybody.

The funny thing is that it seems she almost understands me, if only because of my tone and inflection.

 

[Warren Sear]

I got my dog, a 20 pound Corgi/Terrier mix, a year ago, and over that time we have gotten to know one another very well.

A few nights ago I awoke in the middle of the night. My dog was lying right next to me on the bed, as always. His head was sticking out from his blanket, and lying on a pillow. He was facing away from me, and I could see his ears standing up and silhouetted in the moonlight. He was perfectly still, but I knew he was awake.

I said slowly, and in a low voice, "You are such a god dog", and in about 10 seconds he began to snore very softly. It was like that was the final assurance he needed and then relaxed and fell immediately asleep.

So, yes, I talk to my dog, and it seems clear to me that he understands what I am saying, to one degree or another.

 

[carpriver]

I don't carry on a conversation with them but I talk at them, they seen to know what I am saying. Now my wife she talk to them like they are humans, she has some strange conversations with them.

 

[Philadelphia Patriot]

I talk to my girlfriend's two (2) pit bulls all the time. I also talk to her horses. The dogs are a lot friendlier and don't tease me as much as the horses.

I told my girlfriend if her male pit bull could talk he'd sound like John Goodman. If her female pit bull could talk she'd sound like Wanda Sykes (the female pit is a rescue from Camden, NJ and had a rough early life in the hood).

I also told her if her mom's Yorkie Chihuahua mix dog/thing could talk, he'd sound like Danny DeVito.

 

[BC38]

Of course I talk to him. What else would I do? Bark at him?
I talk to him just about like I would a young kid of about 5 years old or so.
No big words or deep concepts, but not baby talk either.

 

[hangnoose]

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION MOSTLY.

It's amazing what they just know without anything being said. I worked with the sick & dying for a living & have never cried anywhere near as much as for my dogs. We thought we were gonna have to put Caesar down on Saturday. Fortunately he will be with us a while longer. They have helped us get thru several deaths of our family members & friends tremendously, without a word said.
I wish people could be more like dogs.