Can my dog understand me?

Have you ever thought about what is occurring behind those loveable dogs’ eyes, slobbery grins and wet noses? Do you ever think your dog understands what you are saying? According to Craig The Dog Man, your dog does understand you.

From three decades of experience, he has found that dogs make eye contact and listen for prompts from their owners, similar to a very young child. Have you ever noticed that endearing head tilt that your dog sometimes does when you are talking to him? That head tilt may mean he understands your facial expressions and nonverbal signals.

Dogs look at your eye contact and body language to determine what you want them to do. After studying hundreds of tutorial videos Craigs’ wife recorded during coaching sessions, In almost every circumstance, the student dogs responded almost identically to that of infants towards a parent. Craig has a mantra: ‘Think of your dog like a 5-year-old child.’ Dogs rely on eye contact and facial expressions as they are rich in sources of information. They quickly learn these cues to make critical decisions.

Observing our facial expressions is surprising how much a dog can sense about you.

1. Your dog can sense when you are unhappy
When we cry, or even about to cry or get upset, your dog quickly reacts and wants to reassure you. Dogs give comfort during tough times.

2. Your dog knows when you are being biased.
Craig occasionally looks after other dogs out of the family circle, and his working dogs often act differently and are anxious when they see him giving more attention to another pet in the house.

3. A dog can tell when you have significantly changed your family dynamics.
An excellent example is when parents bring home a new baby, as the family dog often gets no attention. This significant change can lead to a catalogue of problems. Need help, please get in touch.

4. Your dog will know when you are angry.
Dogs strive for a harmonious life in the family, and dogs resent disappointment. They instinctively know when they have upset you, don’t make a big deal of it and move on in an upbeat way – this is a simple idea but not that simple to apply, so take a moment to think things through.

5. Dogs sense when you are afraid.
Your dog will also understand that you are acting frightened. Certain dog breeds like GSD or Malinois will likely react by trying to protect you. Other breeds may be as scared as you are. But almost all dogs can quickly sense when an owner is worried or anxious.

Dogs have brilliant skills to understand and interact with us because of hundreds of years of history and domestication of the dog and the complex skills learned by individual and social learning.

There is abundant evidence to suggest that dogs and human emotions, gestures, and actions play a massive part in our lives.

The bonding between dogs and us differs significantly. Still, it’s clear that being a member of the group plays a motivational role in dog behaviour and shapes the dogs’ attitudes and interactions with humans.

Undoubtedly, we should spend time building relationships of trust with dogs that live up to ideas of companionship.

If reading this blog appeals to you and you want to learn more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me,

Craig The Dog Man®.

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