26/03/2021
Conversations with your dog are one-sided, but you don’t need a verbal response to know talking to your furry best friend is a good idea. No matter how silly you think you sound, striking up a conversation while you’re out on a walk, cuddling on the couch, or preparing dinner has benefits you probably don’t know about.
Yes, your neighbor might think you’re crazy, but if they have a dog of their own, they should be doing it too. In fact, while not every dog owner will admit it, most people with good relationships with their pets find it natural to start chatting it up with their canines.
If that sounds like you, keep up the good work. And if you’re hesitant to start the conversation, here are a few reasons why talking to your dog on a daily basis is important.
Talking Improves Your Bond
The bond between a person and their dog is a powerful thing. The potential for a relationship based on mutual love and respect is one of the main reasons why people adopt dogs in the first place. Anything that bolsters that bond is something dog owners should be interested in. Some dogs open their hearts after the first belly rub, but a real, enduring bond will take time and effort. Your dog needs to feel perfectly comfortable around you, and part of that is being used to hearing your voice.
Human Speech Can Be Interesting
If you drone on about how awful your boss is, there’s a good chance your dog is barely paying attention. Your voice is probably a familiar-sounding buzz of background noise, and they’ll only start actively listening if they hear a word they recognize. Telling your dog about your day is good, but it’s even better to talk to them about things they can relate to and understand. They don’t speak the same language, but they’ve learned how to recognize dog-related speech, and studies show they enjoy listening to it.