by Maxine Paricos

Created on: September 24, 2010   Last Updated: September 25, 2010

Dogs cannot and will never understand English or any other language for that matter.  It is the tone of the owners voice that a dog responds to. I'll give you an example - I used to breed German Shepherds and we all know they are very intelligent animals.

Well one day I put an experiment to the test as I was studying for dog psychology.  I told my dog in a high pitch tone of pleasure and happiness that he was a very very naughty boy. The dog responded by wagging his tail jumping around the place as if I had told him he was good! Then I did the opposite and in a scowling voice I told my dog he was very very good boy.  He came towards me, tail between his legs and rolled over, submitting to me as I was the Alpha female of the pack (house).

This proved my point of its the tone of voice and not English words that dogs understand. It really riles me when owners are with their dogs in the park and the dog runs off.  What is the first thing the owner does to the dog when it comes back? Well of course, the owner tells the dog off and probably gives it a smack or a shake around the scruff of the neck. That is the worst thing an owner could do.

What you are supposed to do is to praise the dog for coming back. Why you might ask? Well if you were the dog and put yourself in its position, if you were to come back to your owner and get told off, would you really want to come back and get told off again. That is what the dog will remember, that if he comes back to you he will get told off. Whereas you praise the dog he knows that when he comes back he will be thanked in a high pitched shrill voice that he was a good doggy!

Problem is with humans is that we treat dogs like children - they are descended from the wild and are domesticated animals.They don't understand English, only what we teach them in one word syllables. Put yourself in a dogs position and think like a dog is the only way we can understand how they think. 

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