By: Song E.
You’ve probably seen someone talking to their dog and thought what a weirdo. Or maybe you’ve been caught talking to your cat and felt a rush of embarrassment. Well I can assure you that most pet owners do this, and it is completely normal. Not only is it normal, but it can actually be beneficial for both us and our pets. But why do we choose to talk to our pets, and what does it do for us?
Do our pets even understand us?
Actually, some pets can understand the words we say. There are some dogs that have been said to understand a thousand words! A thousand words is a lot, and most animals can’t comprehend this many, but they can understand what we’re saying by the tone of our voice and the gestures we make. So if you ever feel weird sitting on the couch telling your dog about your day, know that they’re listening!
How does talking to our pet benefit us?
I used to talk to my dog all the time and stop at the realization that he’s a dog and not a human being, then I thought to myself, what in the world am I doing? But you shouldn’t feel that way! Talking to our pets can actual improve our health; it allows us to open up about our issues and get through difficult times. Sometimes when we feel like we need to get something off our chest we go to our pets instead of another person; this avoids feeling judgment, and the comfort of your companion being there can be enough sometimes. Sometimes I feel like my dog can sense when I’m feeling down and he’ll come cuddle with me. And if you ever feel silly talking to your dog about your long day, enjoy the humor of it!
It strengthens the bond between you and your pet.
It’s true, talking to your pet will bring you closer together. Your pet will feel cared and in return they develop trust and respect for you. Also, it just makes us feel closer to them because we trust them as well––they are there for us always.
I didn’t used to think about it much when I talked to my dog, but I can honestly say that I feel extremely close to him by doing so (he know all my secrets now). I couldn’t imagine not talking to my dog; I have to apologize every time I accidentally step into him… I’d feel so guilty if I didn’t! So talk to your pets, there’s no need to feel ashamed!
