Do you talk to your pet?

1. 71

   KevinC9998posted 10 years ago

   
   Do you think they know what you are saying or just associating sounds and actions?

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   1. 78

      Uninvited Writerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I do talk to my cat. I know he does understand his name and when I say "out" he meows at me.

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   2. 56

      A Troubled Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Unless dogs have been taught a particular language, it would be no different than someone who is Chinese knowing what a Greek is saying.

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   3. 0

      Brenda Durhamposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yep, I talk to 'em.
      No, they don't really know what I'm saying;  they just associate sounds with actions, from all indications.

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2. 83

   Peggasuseposted 10 years ago

   Don't we all?    And yes, I do think they know what we're saying.  I'm not sure they understand all the words but I think they know through the sound of your voice and through your actions.  I think animals are very intuitive and can (more easily than humans), know what a person is feeling.

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3. 74

   Reality Bytesposted 10 years ago

   All of my dogs have understood certain words.  Whether it was eat, out, etc..., they knew the word regardless of the source.  Even if the word was spoken on television, when my dog hears hungry, she knows what that means.
   
   I can tell my dog to get a drink, she does?

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4. 62

   Scribenetposted 10 years ago

   Pets function at the level of a very young child...they understand certain words you teach them to understand...and the understood vocabulary is limited.
   
   Dogs in particular try hard to understand what you say. They have difficulty understanding a phrase...but definitely understand words like: "food", "cookie", "walk" and they do not confuse one for the other. When I had a dog, she knew "go see Mama" and "go see Papa" as we would send her back and forth between my late husband and I in separate rooms.
   
   I find my cat responds to words as well and understands the word "No" to mean something he should not do and a few other simple words. However,  both cats and dogs know to show affection and that is really all that counts!

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5. 60

   KT Banksposted 10 years ago

   It never occurred to me that anyone would not talk to an animal. We've had our Golden Retriever, Maggie since since she was 5 weeks old. She is 9, now. Sometimes we don't think she's knows she is a dog. Even though I've been around animals all my life, I'm still astounded how much Maggie actually seems to know. She knows the name of every room in the house, the difference of front porch and back porch. What each of her toys are called, and it goes on and on. She seems to understand every thing we say.
   The other day, she seemed to be sleeping. I told my husband that I wasn't feeling very well because my allergies were acting up. As soon as I said the words, "I don't feel very well today" She raised her head and looked at me in alarm. We both laughed because we're always noticing how much she seems to understand.
   With cats, we seem to have more of a silent communication. I love when they want my attention and come get up to get right in my face with a particular expression on their faces. They stare in my eyes a lot, as if they are trying to tell me something.

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   1. 71

      KevinC9998posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hi KT:  Yes, it is amazing how many words our dogs understand!

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