Communication is the key to a healthy and balanced relationship with your dog. Just because animals can’t talk, doesn’t mean they can’t communicate…quite the contrary!
Talking to the dog so that he understands you is very important, that’s why we share in this article our tips to help you get along with your pet.
Do dogs understand human speech?
Yes, dogs understand human speech. Several scientific studies show that dogs not only know how to recognize sounds but also analyze words and their intonation when we speak to them. Some breeds seem to be more gifted than others, understanding up to 250 words!
The importance of words and intonation
According to one study conducted by Dr. Attila Andics of the University Loránd Eötvös from Budapest, Hungary, our four-legged friends are more than capable of understanding what we say. Dogs use the left hemisphere to process the words and the auditory region of the right hemisphere for work out intonation; furthermore, rewarding activates the dog’s reward center only when both words and intonation match.
In other words, telling your dog “Well done, Rex” in an irritated tone would be confusing and unnerving for him. What is important is that the owner uses the right tone of words.
For example, if you’re congratulating your puppy, make sure you use a high-pitched, happy voice, because that’s what dogs mean by happiness. On the other hand, a serious voice is a sign of dissatisfaction or a threat and could make your dog anxious.
How to talk to dogs?
As a dog owner, the key to good verbal communication and successful training is keep calm ed be consistent.
Here are some helpful tips for talking to dogs.
Reward your dog
Whenever your furry friend does something good, praise him, say “Bravo!”, and use a calm tone of voice with high notes. Don’t forget to give a delicious treat-snack now and then!
Use appropriate body language
Using the right body language when talking to your dog is crucial. If you pay attention to your faithful friend, you will notice that these very intelligent animals understand a lot through body language and communication.
Indeed, when you talk to the dog, he probably won’t answer you with words, but he will definitely understand what you are saying to him!
When training Fido, you should accompany the order with a gesture or communication signals. For example, to teach a dog to sit, say, for example, “Rex, sit down,” pointing a finger above its head and then instructing it to sit.
To teach him to roll over, you need to say “Rex, roll over!” while gesturing about it. It’s not just about giving orders: our body language allows us to cement one real relationship with our pets. Do this by showing your dog that you love him and with gentle rather than abrupt or nervous strokes and gestures.
yes concise
Words should be short (remember that your dog’s name should also be 2 or 3 syllables at most). The commands should be short and use direct speech from the dog. For example, say “Come,” without saying “You have to come, we’re going home.”
Owners often feel harsh by giving short commands, but one-word commands can be delivered gently with just the right tone of voice. Furthermore, an order that is too long will not be understood by Fido!
Use eye contact
Eye contact is also extremely important, when the dog owner gives an order, so pay attention to where your faithful companion is, make eye contact, use a gentle tone of voice and issue that order.
Even your facial expressions are a revelation for your dog: thanks to them, the animal knows right away how do you feel. It’s impossible to lie to a dog!
Be consistent
You should always use the same wording for each command, so that it gives your pet a better chance of understanding what you are asking it to do.
If you chose to say “Sit” to make him sit, do not change it to “Sit”, as your dog will think you are giving him a different command, even though dogs remember the tone more than the word itself. Finally, remember to always praise him and give him a treat whenever you are happy with your pooch.
App for talking to dogs
Many say that dogs lack only the word, they are so close to us and to our emotions, and just as many are the people who dream of talking to dogs or other animals.
Although technological advances are now the order of the day, this is clearly not possible today but there are applications that simulate speech with Fido and some of them can be very entertaining.
Here are some apps to talk to dogs!
We specify that these apps for talking to dogs are not realistic but should simply be taken as a game.
My Talking Pet
Among the applications to talk to dogs we find My Talking Pet (literally “My talking pet”) and allows you to record gods short videos with talking dogs.
How to do? Just take a photo of your dog’s face (making sure to position the cursors that appear on the screen on the animal’s eyes, ears and mouth) and say a voice message with the words or phrases you want Fido to say!
The application will modify your voice with a funny tone and create a mini-video where your four-legged moving mouth will speak! Nice isn’t it?
Dog Translator Simulator
Another fun app for talking to dogs is Dog Translator Simulator (which stands for “dog translator simulator” in Italian). Lets observe the reactions of your canine friend, by selecting a few set phrases that the application will translate into “wow!”. At that point the mobile will start barking speaking the “language of dogs”!
The app also allows you to record sentences that will be translated into “Dog”, make sounds of other animals and backing tracks designed for our faithful friends!