My dog taught me how to speak to animals.

[sloth]

I knew that would get everyone's attention. It IS true though. I will explain. I had a puppy. I kept good care of it. I spent morning, noon, and night with this puppy. I woke up with him, and I went to bed with him. I spent 24 hours a day for one year with this puppy. The purpose was because I wanted to learn how to communicate with animals... I mean REALLY communicate, and I did. He taught me. Kitty was a half-huskee, half-wolf pup. I didn't teach him commands. I just spoke to him. I would talk to him all day. I talked to him about everything, using body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures. At first he just ignored me. But a lot sooner than I expected (within the first two weeks) he began listening. Instead of continuing to do whatever it was he was doing, as he did at first, he would stop, and sit in front of me, and just stare, as I spoke in full paragraphs to him. I would tell him about whatever. I didn't think the subject mattered at the beginning, because I think he was still learning to join words and phrases. He would stare for hours. His ears perked up, and his tail remained silent. Finally, after about a couple of months of this, I began to put him to the test. I would require that HE communicate with ME. I didn't care what he had to do to get an idea or concept across, as long as he gave me some hint as to what he was trying to convey. I didn't require him to speak on my terms. I allowed him to do whatever he thought would make me understand. I think this made the experiment more pure anyway. Parrots can IMITATE communication. I wanted to make sure that what I was really seeing from him was an attempt to convey logical ideas. So, in a grueling two days, in what some would call a cruel experiment, I asked him if he wanted food, or I would ask him if he was hungry. I gave him no food unless he could SOMEHOW convey to me that he wanted it. (Water was given freely, of course.) I left the bag of dog food out, and his food dish out, so that he had props and tools at his disposal. I think it took him a little while to realize what I wanted from him. Perhaps he had to learn the concept of a question, but after about a day or so, when I asked him if he was hungry, he nodded his head. Of all things, he god damned nodded his head! I thought it was coincidence at first, but I gave him the food. I could not believe that he had actually answered me, on HUMAN terms. Once I thought back, many times while communicating him, I used to nod my head with any affirmation in general. Perhaps he picked up on this. That day was a gateway. He discovered the concept of question, and that I expected (or allowed) him to communicate with me as well. This sparked an avalanche of ideas that we both sent to one another. I began to ask him other things, in full sentences, in conversational form. I was VERY CAREFUL not to emphasize any one word, or speak to him in any manner that was not consistent with how I would speak to a human. I didn't speak to him as if he was a child. I didn't even limit the variety of words I used! I wanted to REALLY KNOW if this could be done. Kitty and I began to have conversations. They were very simple conversations, but they were complete. They would last for good solid segments, and would usually remain on topic. He communicated with gestures and body language. He only barked as emphasis. Usually when he was frustrated. If he was trying to tell me something, and I didn't understand, he would repeat the gesture he had made, and bark. Over time, I actually began adapting his gestures, as a sign of faith to him... to let him know that there was a connection there, that I did understand him, and that I respected him as an equally significant being, EVEN THOUGH I was the head of our little 'wolf pack'. Wolves need that to be happy anyway. One time he swallowed a chicken bone before I could stop him. He looked up at me with a big grin on his face, and wagged his tail. I got terribly worried, and I looked at him, horrified. This was a big chicken bone lol. When I did this, he immediately stopped wagging his tail, sat down, and the smile left his face, and I SAW reaction on his face. I saw the exact point when his face went from completely happy, to 'Oh no!' He knew that I was worried. Kitty was ABSOLUTELY and UTTERLY ASTONISHING to me. I believe that I taught him one other concept... Love. I have no way of truly knowing this. How does a dog convey love, and not just affection? By the end I did love this dog. Very few animals have had a place like that in my heart. I would tell him, all the time, that I loved him. I would reinforce this concept in every way that I knew how. I carefully avoided REWARDING him when I said this. I wanted him to know at least that it was different. I would hold him, or look deep into his eyes when I told him this. He never conveyed anything back to me, but just perhaps this was his way of telling me, because when I told him this, and then held him, he didn't do anything. He just layed there, or stood there, looking at me. Almost every other thing I said, after a while, was met with some sort of response, even if it was the gesture that I had learned meant that he didn't understand. (He would cock his head to convey confusion/interest. Then he would look down just a little, with a little nod, and sometimes lick his lips which was a way of urging me or expecting me to do something. In these cases he wanted me to repeat or explain what I had said.) It's nice to believe it's possible that he knew love. Anyway, I don't have a good ending to this story. My ex-girlfriend stole him when she left. Unfortunately I had already fed him raw, bloody meat. I gave it to him all the time. I wasn't going to take that away. He was a wolf. His instincts told him to eat raw meat, and I knew that. Also, a wolf only bonds with one human, if that. After she took him, he quickly turned on her, threatening to attack every time he saw her, and then ran away, to live in the wild. I miss him. Kitty and I had great times staying up late and drinking beer together. He loved beer, and he loved getting drunk, but he hated pot. Maybe he just didn't like the smoke. I'm not sure. Anyway, thank you for your ear, once again. -sloth

[FreshBrains]

Woah. That is weird, yet completely awesome. I wish I had a dog...

[Umbrella]

Originally posted by sloth I knew that would get everyone's attention. It IS true though. I will explain. I had a puppy. I kept good care of it. I spent morning, noon, and night with this puppy. I woke up with him, and I went to bed with him. I spent 24 hours a day for one year with this puppy. The purpose was because I wanted to learn how to communicate with animals... I mean REALLY communicate, and I did. He taught me. Kitty was a half-huskee, half-wolf pup. I didn't teach him commands. I just spoke to him. I would talk to him all day. I talked to him about everything, using body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures. At first he just ignored me. But a lot sooner than I expected (within the first two weeks) he began listening. Instead of continuing to do whatever it was he was doing, as he did at first, he would stop, and sit in front of me, and just stare, as I spoke in full paragraphs to him. I would tell him about whatever. I didn't think the subject mattered at the beginning, because I think he was still learning to join words and phrases. He would stare for hours. His ears perked up, and his tail remained silent. Finally, after about a couple of months of this, I began to put him to the test. I would require that HE communicate with ME. I didn't care what he had to do to get an idea or concept across, as long as he gave me some hint as to what he was trying to convey. I didn't require him to speak on my terms. I allowed him to do whatever he thought would make me understand. I think this made the experiment more pure anyway. Parrots can IMITATE communication. I wanted to make sure that what I was really seeing from him was an attempt to convey logical ideas. So, in a grueling two days, in what some would call a cruel experiment, I asked him if he wanted food, or I would ask him if he was hungry. I gave him no food unless he could SOMEHOW convey to me that he wanted it. (Water was given freely, of course.) I left the bag of dog food out, and his food dish out, so that he had props and tools at his disposal. I think it took him a little while to realize what I wanted from him. Perhaps he had to learn the concept of a question, but after about a day or so, when I asked him if he was hungry, he nodded his head. Of all things, he god damned nodded his head! I thought it was coincidence at first, but I gave him the food. I could not believe that he had actually answered me, on HUMAN terms. Once I thought back, many times while communicating him, I used to nod my head with any affirmation in general. Perhaps he picked up on this. That day was a gateway. He discovered the concept of question, and that I expected (or allowed) him to communicate with me as well. This sparked an avalanche of ideas that we both sent to one another. I began to ask him other things, in full sentences, in conversational form. I was VERY CAREFUL not to emphasize any one word, or speak to him in any manner that was not consistent with how I would speak to a human. I didn't speak to him as if he was a child. I didn't even limit the variety of words I used! I wanted to REALLY KNOW if this could be done. Kitty and I began to have conversations. They were very simple conversations, but they were complete. They would last for good solid segments, and would usually remain on topic. He communicated with gestures and body language. He only barked as emphasis. Usually when he was frustrated. If he was trying to tell me something, and I didn't understand, he would repeat the gesture he had made, and bark. Over time, I actually began adapting his gestures, as a sign of faith to him... to let him know that there was a connection there, that I did understand him, and that I respected him as an equally significant being, EVEN THOUGH I was the head of our little 'wolf pack'. Wolves need that to be happy anyway. One time he swallowed a chicken bone before I could stop him. He looked up at me with a big grin on his face, and wagged his tail. I got terribly worried, and I looked at him, horrified. This was a big chicken bone lol. When I did this, he immediately stopped wagging his tail, sat down, and the smile left his face, and I SAW reaction on his face. I saw the exact point when his face went from completely happy, to 'Oh no!' He knew that I was worried. Kitty was ABSOLUTELY and UTTERLY ASTONISHING to me. I believe that I taught him one other concept... Love. I have no way of truly knowing this. How does a dog convey love, and not just affection? By the end I did love this dog. Very few animals have had a place like that in my heart. I would tell him, all the time, that I loved him. I would reinforce this concept in every way that I knew how. I carefully avoided REWARDING him when I said this. I wanted him to know at least that it was different. I would hold him, or look deep into his eyes when I told him this. He never conveyed anything back to me, but just perhaps this was his way of telling me, because when I told him this, and then held him, he didn't do anything. He just layed there, or stood there, looking at me. Almost every other thing I said, after a while, was met with some sort of response, even if it was the gesture that I had learned meant that he didn't understand. (He would cock his head to convey confusion/interest. Then he would look down just a little, with a little nod, and sometimes lick his lips which was a way of urging me or expecting me to do something. In these cases he wanted me to repeat or explain what I had said.) It's nice to believe it's possible that he knew love. Anyway, I don't have a good ending to this story. My ex-girlfriend stole him when she left. Unfortunately I had already fed him raw, bloody meat. I gave it to him all the time. I wasn't going to take that away. He was a wolf. His instincts told him to eat raw meat, and I knew that. Also, a wolf only bonds with one human, if that. After she took him, he quickly turned on her, threatening to attack every time he saw her, and then ran away, to live in the wild. I miss him. Kitty and I had great times staying up late and drinking beer together. He loved beer, and he loved getting drunk, but he hated pot. Maybe he just didn't like the smoke. I'm not sure. Anyway, thank you for your ear, once again. -sloth I taught a cow how to dance.

[kage]

sloth, that's awesome. i've always thought that most animals are much more intelligent than we give them credit for. it's just that their intelligence is not always on the same level or dealing with the same concepts as human intelligence. but, as you have shown, human concepts can maybe be taught to them. LOL @ a wolf/dog named Kitty!

[FreshBrains]

Also, sloth.... Jesus, she took your dog, too?! Man. I wouldn't depressed if I were in your shoes, I'd be in a bloody fury.

[PantsParty]

That is truly an incredible story, but the ending is too sad. Anything that involves dogs and is a sad ending just really gets to me, you know?

[Leo Volont]

I keep cats -- 4 indoor cats and I maintain several Feeding Stations for Feral Cats. And, yes, one can eventually learn to communicate with them. Regarding the Ferals, the wild kitties, they will look obviously puzzled at the first attempts to communicate with them, but as weeks turn to months, they become comfortable with talk. And one learns the communication cues from the Cats themselves -- the body language of High Tails (happy), blinking eyes (respect and affection), pulled back ears (incipient aggression). And then there is the complex vocalizations that one hears. The tones are easily translateable to the human emotions -- one can discern a cat's bitching and complaining, or a cat's misery and forlorness, or a cats playful happiness. Indeed, often non-animal lovers find it ridiculous when Animal Lovers tell stories in which they freely quote, in translation, what the animals were thinking, feeling and in effect 'saying'. They will skeptically say "The cat really said that?" Well, 'yes'... as certainly as one can translate French into English, a pet owner with a long acquaintence with his pet should easily be able to translate what his pet had said on certain memorable occassions.

[dream-scape]

Originally posted by Leo Volont And then there is the complex vocalizations that one hears. Especially with the Maine Coon breed. They're extraordinarily talkative compared to other breeds, and you just have to love the little chirps and trills they usually do instead of meowing. I think mine is trying to tell me I've spent too much time on the computer now

[Leo Volont]

Originally posted by dream-scape Especially with the Maine Coon breed. They're extraordinarily talkative compared to other breeds, and you just have to love the little chirps and trills they usually do instead of meowing. I think mine is trying to tell me I've spent too much time on the computer now And they are so gentle for being so BIG. I knew a lady, a breeder, who raised both Maine Coons and Singapooras -- the Largest and the Smallest of Domestic Breeds. They got along fine. the Maine Coons were fooled into thinking the Singapooras to be perpetual kittens and behaved toward them with especial care, while the Singapooras were too small to seriously contemplate any harm to the gigantic Maine Coones. They were all actually splendid cats, and whenever I thought of saving money i always considered dropping in on that lady to see what kitties she had to offer. Now, my largest cat, Big Bear, is diminuitive compared to any sizeable Maine Coon, and he is a virtual mute. I had gotten him from a former Nun who needed to travel and asked me to watch "Kitty" for her. When she got back, I remarked on his perpetual silence. She was astonished. For her "kitty" had been a constant 'yowler'. But she would often leave him alone and by himself. he was lonely. With my four cats and myself, he was too busy and occupied to have anything to say at all. Once in awhile he does say something, and then that astonishes me. I always jump right up and consider it something of an emergency, anything that would drive "Big Bear" to a vocalization. I remember first bringing him home. he ran under my sink in the kitchen, and looked as though he were planning to stay there for awhile. So I crawled in there and pretended to sleep. You see, no Enemy would ever lay down and sleep with one... which is what cats think. So I must have been a friend. So after awhile I pretended to wake up hungry and went to noisily find something to eat, and he followed. It was the quickest I had ever socialized a cat. And he had quite a history. The Former Nun had some rental properties, and when this "Kitty" was only a kitten it came to her door and she took it in. After several days an irrate Tenant came pounding upon her door demanding his cat back. Well, of course, she gave it back, but wondered that the little thing had thought it necessary to escape and apply elsewhere for living quarters. A half a year goes by and guess what? Again this kitten, only much bigger returns to her door. Only this time the irrate Tenant is willing to let it go. Anyway, I call him Big Bear and he has reverted to my care. I am somewhat pleased that a cat that is so demonstrably choosy about his owners would be so accepting of myself. There he is, sleeping atop one of the Quality Time Boxes. I'll take a break and wake him up and pet him for a bit....