|
|
|
|
Did you ever try the following test? Given a command well known by your dog, just change the word you use, and replace it by another word, not related, but pronounced on the same tone, with the same gesture. Most likely, your dog will obey, all the same! Why? Actually, you communicate with your dog by a lot of signals. Gestures, looks on your face, tone of your voice help your dog to understand what you're expecting from him. As a priority, your dog analyses the situation, the context, your attitude and your expression. Then the fact that you've emitted a sound for his attention... This allows your dog to understand a variety of "sit" "plizsit" "sitdown" "willusit" "wouldusit". No, dogs cannot conjugate! Your dog uses all his observation power to understand, as his wolves ancestors still do. By the way, human beings just do the same, and you'll notice it is much harder to understand what is said on the phone because we unconsciously use all clues given by facial expression, gestures and circumstances when directly facing an interlocutor. Some have asserted (wrongly IMHO) that dogs did not recognize words, but were only using visual clues. Yet some highly motivating words like "food" "treat" induce enthusiastic responses, no matter the circumstances. It is definitely possible to capture a dog's attention so that he won't only respond to a sound in given circumstances, but really to a specific word, no matter in which circumstances ("STOP" is an absolute order that may save the dog's life, for example). A consequence of this is that you should always be aware of, and watch out, everything that you emit together with your vocal order. As your dog will first read visual clues, in all their fine distinctions, avoid being in contradiction. For example, if your gestures are saying "come close", but simultaneously you say "sit and stay", your dog will most likely happily come to you, and that is not an act of disobedience. Obviously, he will be very confused if you appear to be upset! Since his very first days with you, your dog is building a detailed glossary of your expressions and gestures, so that he can decode your emotions, your intentions and expectations. Didn't you ever wonder "how did he guess"? If he could talk, your dog could certainly describe each of your habits, and foretell what will come next! Wolves observation shows that on top of species body language, each pack adopts "family" variations that puppies learn and that consolidate the bonds in the pack. Your dog makes use of this ability to get closer to you. Our dogs do their utmost to understand us, let's try hard to be clear! |
Miam Miam!
What
are you feeding your pets?
|
|
|
