Do you talk to your dog? We’d bet not as much as you used to, especially out on walks. Technology has eliminated one of the great benefits of having a dog. It used to be that if you walked around talking out loud, everyone thought you were crazy unless your dog was with you. Nowadays, most people seem to talk out loud, all the time, wherever they are. We assume they’re on the phone, but they could be crazy, since there’s no dog.

It’s actually a shame. When people can talk to anyone, anywhere, they’re less likely to talk to their dogs. And dogs are the best listeners you’ll ever meet. They think every word you utter is an absolute gem. And if you say something they recognize, you get the most adorable head tilt. If you say one of the magic words, like “out” or “cookie” or “car,” you may even get some quick zoomies around the house!

Dogs love conversation

One of the best dog-walking green spaces is close to our home. So we see people heading that way with their dogs all day every day. An informal survey clocked 18 out of 20 people staring at, or talking on, their phones rather than paying attention to their dogs. It made us sad.

Aside from how gratifying it is to have an audience that’s enthralled by every word you say, it’s good for your dog to be part of your conversation, too. Our training students are always amazed by how quickly, and how many, words their dogs learn to understand. More than just “sit” or “down,” dogs can build a large vocabulary, especially if you consistently talk to them. Many dogs know their toys’ names – does your dog fetch the right one when you ask “Where’s your ???”

Language buttons

A couple of years ago it was all over the news that somebody taught their dog to “talk” with recordable buttons she trained her dog to push. And pretty soon the dog was letting her know when he was hungry, when he wanted to play, if he wanted to go out, and so on. Now there’s a niche market for programmable dog buttons.

We haven’t tried it yet ourselves. We’re pretty happy when our dogs listen to us. We’re not entirely sure how we’d like it if they could really talk back. Teddy (pictured) always had a lot to say, and we’re not sure he was always complimentary. We’ve never had bells on the door for our dogs to signal they want to go out. We’re afraid that the little monsters would be slapping those bells night and day – they love running around outside.

Comedian Elaine Boosler used to have a bit in her stand-up that went something like: “I used to wish my dog could talk. Then I realized what my dog would say: ‘Throw the ball.’ ‘Throw the ball.’ ‘Throw the ball.” I just threw the ball! ‘Throw it again,’ ‘throw it again,’ ‘throw it again.”

Talk to your dogs

It’s another thing entirely to want your dog to understand you. Just letting your dog know what’s going on is good for them. Dogs are great at reading the signs, they know that picking up your keys means you’re going out. If you didn’t reach for a leash, they know they’re not coming. If you do, chances are they come running over. And if you say “You wanna go out?” their excitement increases. 

Dogs are wonderful companions. That ability shines when you talk to them. There’s nobody who listens more attentively. It’s really nice that somebody considers you a brilliant conversationalist. Take advantage of that devotion. It makes both of you happy.

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