by Pukalolo Palolo

Created on: March 19, 2007   Last Updated: May 02, 2007

I own six beagles, and its like having six kids in the house. The question of whether or not they comprehend the English language can be answered simply by spending a day at my house. Word association within dogs is a powerful ability, one that is perfected over time.
If you speak to dogs in single words all the time, they will not comprehend very much. But if you spend time speaking to them, on a daily basis, multiple times a day, things begin to click.

Whether it's calling them by name, telling them to get off the table, or telling on one of them to my wife and they put their head down because they know they got in trouble. Much like how a child would do, the same applies to my beagles.
The other day I told one of my beagles to make a path through the snow to the car , and low and behold, there he was, plowing through about six inches of snow, and made a path straight to the car. Even I shake my head sometimes at their ability to comprehend the language.
When I ask one if they want to go for a ride, or if a conversation is heard about someone getting ready to go out and run and errand or something, there are the three who love cars rides, getting exciting, jumping and wagging near the door. They know.
I have had a few people over to witness the communication I have with my beagles, and they are amazed. I do this simply because, through conversation, one would think I belong in the crazy shack.
It takes time, but simply spending time with your dog like you would a person eventually progresses into the comprehension this question seeks.

The real question that should be asked is, if people who own dogs comprehend the dog's "English" language. The ability to communicate, through English, in a subliminal way, I can attest to the fact that they do "speak" the language, and the comprehension of this ability is achievable.

And it's a beautiful thing.

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