A visiting friend asks, “Do you want to me to let Graidy out? He’s pacing by the door.”
“Nah, must be around 4 o’clock,” I say, looking at the clock to confirm. “He wants to be fed.”
A while later the same friend, noticing Graidy at the door again, says, “Is Graidy hungry again already?”
“Nope, he wants to go out now.” I get up to let him out.
“This is like having a mother translate for her babbling baby!” My friend says, shaking her head, laughing. “How can you tell the difference?”
“It’s simple. When he’s pacing by the door, he’s really pacing by the food dish that happens to be by the door, which means Feed me. Standing at the door means Let me out. He’s being perfectly clear.”
“Mmhmm.”
“No, really,” I say. “He and Kiera have extensive vocabularies. You wouldn’t believe how much they’re able to communicate; they can hold entire conversations.”
“Yeah, like anybody but you could tell the difference between Graidy’s pacing and standing…”
“You’ve never had any dogs, have you?”
“Nope.”
“Didn’t think so.”
Oh yea…my dogs & cat talk all the time too, and people who aren’t as into their pets (or don’t have any) are always dumbfounded at how I can understand what these guys are telling me. To me, much of what they tell me couldn’t be any clearer if they spoke in English!
The interesting thing about my friend was that she noticed what Graidy was doing, but she didn’t know how to interpret it.
Kiera was “talking a blue streak” too, but because she just lurvs Graidy, she was focusing on watching him. So she was able to see that he was “communicating” but didn’t know how to interpret it. (I actually have high hopes for this friend being able to learn how to speak dog.)
Like you guys, I believe all of nature is yakking away all day long–if we’d only pay attention and listen, and take the time to figure out what’s being said!
And as far as the “intuitive” animal communication, I believe it’s the same deal. If you want to know what any being is thinking or feeling, the act of deeply paying attention, and being open, goes a long way.
Karen, great post!
Talking with the Animals is a good book but I highly recommend “The Complete Idiots Guide to Animal Communication”.. it is down to earth and very insightful. Not preachy or schmaltzy.. just a great How To Book!
I’m always amazed at how if we pay attention we CAN tell what is going on with our critters.. how we know what they want when they want it .. (and witness the internal puppy temper tantrum when they can’t have it)
Did I tell you about my dog and the Chips and Salsa?
Maybe I’ll blog that..
Hi Karen. I guess I visited at the perfect time as I’m deeply interested in animal communication right now. I find it so very interesting. Of course there is the general stuff that any good dog owner will know automatically about their dogs but I’ve found so much more than this too! I love that animals can just cut through it and keep it simple because they have no ego. We have so much to learn from our beloved animal companions. I’ve just finished reading, “Talking with the Animals” incase anyone here is looking for their next good read. Great post, Karen!
“You’ve never had any dogs, have you?”
There’s a world out there that is going on around us. There are those who are blessed with the opportunity to “see” it and there are those who “don’t” see it.
I have found it truly a gift as I began to see the lauging smiles on the faces of the dogs at our dog park. The youthful joy, the mature contentment, the pure emotions right there for all to see in the faces of the dogs I regularly enjoyed sharing my time with.
When we open our eyes to the people, and all living creatures around us we see beautiful things.