Yes, Your Dogs Understand When You Talk to Them!

Yes, Your Dogs Understand When You Talk to Them!

Can I let you on a secret? One of the reasons I love my dog is because I can share with him secrets that I would never tell anybody. And I’ve got to say it feels satisfying to let them out.

But you know what is more satisfying? The fact that my dog actually understands what I’m saying. And the best part is that I don’t have to worry that he will spill them. Although I’ve noticed my neighbor’s beagle shoot me these weird glances lately. I suspect she knows everything.
According to two studies published in the Current Biology journal and the Science Journal, dogs may not follow your every word but the listen and pay attention just like humans do.

Even more amazing is that they can decipher the emotional tone in your voice. They know when you are telling a sad story or when you are angry. Consequently, when they can’t understand you, they will listen for the emotional intonations to try and make sense of what you are saying. That’s just the beginning of dogs’ speech recognition abilities.

Further research suggests that the way dogs process speech in their brain is quite similar to humans in that it is divided between two hemispheres. What we say is processed in the right hemisphere while the left hemisphere takes care of how we say it. So if you were to take a brain scan of the dog while talking to it in a positive intonation, you would notice the left side get activated. And there you have it. Now, you never have to feel like a fool again while talking to your dog.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay

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