blog 3 question 2

 believe very strongly that our household pets have the ability to communicate with us on a regular basis. I have a 3 year old Wheaton Terrier puppy named Sady. In my home beside our telephone there is a treat jar. Sady has learned that if we are on the phone and she growls long enough we will understand that she wants one. This is an example of communication.

However, this is in no way an example of understanding. When I tell Sady no and to be quiet she does not understand this. She continues to growl because she has learned that if she does eventually we will give in. This is through multiple examples both she and I have had. Through this an expectation has not been reached, not an understanding.

If you truly believe your dog can understand what you are saying then you either suffer from insanity or a very forgiving definition of understanding. Dogs have the ability to interpret circumstances and can learn things by repetition. To show true understanding though Sady would have to ask for a treat when i was nowhere close to her treat jar. She has never done this. She simply sees her treat jar and me in the same vicinity and recognizes circumstance.

Vice versa though Sady has learned some things from me through repeating circumstances. She knows that if i raise my voice at her and she continues her action she will get popped. So now one voice raise is substantial. This is an example of our ability to communicate, in the same instance though if i told her to stop in a low voice she would not because she does not understand me, just remembers past experiences.

Means of communication is a possibility between humans and animals. However I highly doubt understandings will ever be reached. They understand tones and remember circumstances just as we do. A great deal of time with a specific animal is required to reach this point as well. A word for word translation from human to animal language will never happen.