Back in August, a pet insurance company sponsored a poll where they asked about 2000 American pet owners questions regarding communication with their pets. It was a small poll, but I really enjoyed some of the answers. Here's a link to an article which summarizes the poll results nicely:
https://nypost.com/2022/10/03/do-you-wish-your-pet-could-talk-to-you/
Given our long history of co-evolution with dogs, it's not surprising that 78% of poll respondents felt that if animals could speak, dogs would be the first to do so, versus the 60% who thought it would be cats who spoke first. What was amusing to me were the 53% who felt their pets would have a certain tone or inflection when they spoke, not that they wouldn't necessarily speak with the accent or inflection of the owner themselves. So many of us already talk to our animals, and answer for them, using the tone/inflection etc. that we think they would use with us. While these results were fun to think about, I really enjoyed where they got down to the "brass tacks" of pet guardianship, so to speak.
If our pets could talk to us, what would we most like to know? Personally, I'd really like to be able to have a definitive answer as to how my senior dog, Desi, is feeling every day. If he could tell me, I wouldn't have to rely so heavily on observing his behavior with us, with Ozzie, and with other people he interacts with. Interestingly enough, only 58% of poll respondents wanted to know how their pets feel, and almost an equal amount felt their pets would tell others private information! 61% of respondents felt having their pets be able to speak would be valuable in terms of telling us their food preferences. I don't know about you, but I don't need my dogs to speak in order to know their food preferences! They are pretty definitive on that front. I love that some pet owners thought their pets might say insulting things to other people or just wouldn't stop talking. Honestly, I'd never given this much thought, but I have a hard time seeing most of the dogs or cats I know running off at the mouth or making rude comments. I like to think that my dogs have a sense of humor, so if they were rude, they'd read the room and knock it off.
All kidding aside, it's nice to know that 68% of the poll respondents felt that they knew what their pet was trying to convey to them. I'm surprised this number isn't higher though, particularly among dog owners. Again, all of this co-evolution with dogs means that dogs have gotten really savvy at letting the humans around them know what they need/want/desire. Dogs will, quite literally, stare at their empty bowl and then the refrigerator. Or walk over to the treat cupboard, stare at it, then stare at you. Even my cat owning clients tell me stories of their cats standing on their chests in the morning if they don't get up and feed them breakfast. In order to "hear" our pets, all we really need to do is observe them. The fact that it took the average respondent 3.5 years to learn to understand their own pet is kind of shocking to me. That means for that animal's entire puppyhood/kittenhood and adolescence, their humans were hit or miss for understanding their needs.
We live in a digital world where you can literally ask a question on your phone or computer and have it immediately answered, whether that answer is factual or not. You can type "why does my dog whine in his sleep?" and you will literally get 2 million results in less than one second. Knowing where to go for answers is the first step and the internet isn't always your pet's best option. Much better to ask your veterinarian, your favorite dog trainer, or pick up a book written by a reputable source. If you need book recommendations, just ask!
I like to think of myself as a keen observer of all things animal-related. I've spent literally years of my life studying dogs and cats, observing them, listening to them tell me what's wrong via their behavior. This means I can understand what your pet is telling you, even though they aren't using words, funny accents, or inflections. They are using their body language and behavior to tell me, and you, how they feel, what they think, and what they need. Just watch them.
And as always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
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