According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than a third of US households (38.4%) own at least one dog. In the chatter of family life, or just hanging out with roommates and other people, dogs have developed the ability to recognize not just words and phrases but even emotional tones of voice. In a classic case of personification, we then attribute certain emotions and ideas back onto them, allowing us to basically have one-way conversations that feel like a real discussion.
Some researchers even believe that dogs can sense our mood even if we remain silent. Now, a regularly talkative person remaining silent is already an indicator of a non-standard emotional state, but dogs are capable of understanding when we are sad, tired, stressed, and excited. That being said, some dogs have limited social intelligence and will still think that playing fetch is a great idea even if their master appears exhausted. Which is honestly not that far from interacting with some humans without social grace.
Despite relatively poor eyesight, dogs can also learn gestures. This can range from specific non-verbal orders to the personalized gesticulations of an individual. Canine owners already know just how important eye contact is to a dog, and they are able to recognize elements of your mood just from that. They are also capable of understanding where you might be looking based on your pupils, not the orientation of your head. In general, your dog learns most behavioral norms from their owner, so if your pet misbehaves, you might only be able to blame yourself.
For most pet owners, their dog is an integral part of their everyday life. Besides feeding and walking them, we also tend to talk to them. Some people go even further and even practice ostensibly human activities with their canines. Dog yoga, or doga, is where a dog and its owner perform yoga poses together. While it seems unlikely that the pet gets any particular amount of enlightenment from the activity, dog owners know that their fuzzy friend loves to feel involved, even if it’s not sure what’s happening.
Others even ‘dance’ with their dogs, though this is more a dressed-up obedience drill, not that awkward waltz some children will do with their confused, but eager family pet. The more formal term is ‘musical canine freestyle,’ which sounds like a pretty niche subgenre of music. The basic concept is that the owner does certain actions to music, often trembling dance moves, while the dog performs pre-determined actions based on physical cues from their master. When done correctly, it only vaguely resembles dancing, but dogs are not known for their grace and they are absolutely trying their best, so cut them some slack.
We all know that food is one of the most effective ways to a dog's heart. Indeed, even smaller canines will eat like there is no tomorrow, regardless of how satiated they actually are. This is a good tip for people traveling in areas with wild or semi-wild dogs, keep some treats with you to quickly ingratiate yourself to the pack. Though it's always best to use your best judgment when entering such an environment.
Other studies also suggest that dogs absolutely love petting and will happily sit and get pets for practically as long as the human is willing to provide them. Treats are also very effective for training, but more mature and domesticated dogs will also be quite happy with more pets and verbal praise. So talk to your dog, as chances are, it will get the gist of what you are saying. At the very least, it can be a sort of mini-therapy session.
