What must dogs make of us?

[TheHappinessTrap]

I was just sitting and looking out the window and listening/laughing to R4 comedy slot and thinking, dogs' range of vocab in barking is, obviously, so much more limited than language. So, to them, I'm sitting and listening to "bark, bark, bark, bark, go, bark, bark, bark, sit".

They get confused when I'm on the phone and get all excited thinking I must be talking to them.

They've got to grips with dogs barking on tv but it did take a while.

Last one, I was getting changed the other day from work clothes into dog walking/home wear while they watched me in adoring rapture and I realised that they would not bat an eye if I walked them without any clothes on.

Do you ever have thoughts like this about your pooches or am I alone with these odd thoughts?

love your thoughts - I often look at my dog and wonder what he is thinking when he gives me a mournful, large brown eyes - I talk to him and he just carries on staring at me - I do wish they could talk sometimes!

Lots, I'm sure.

I've thought similar things about my dog.

one that always sticks is that no matter what I'm wearing he recognises me, but I'm not sure if I could pick him out of a pack of chocolate labs unless I was fairly close

Bofster, loving the existential questioning dog!

I know if my dog could talk to me she would tell me she's starving.
Love the way her tail wags when I talk to her, even when she is fast asleep.

Mine is thinking "Fgs I'm bored shitless, can't you take me for a walk or summat?!?" - that's despite the two hours of dog walking he's already had.

I love that photo and caption btw Bofster

I know what my dog is thinking. He's either thinking "can I have some food" or "entertain me entertain me entertain me" or "leave me alone I'm sleeping". I'm fairly sure he sees all of my activity that doesn't support those three things as bafflingly pointless.

I love that the sound of me laughing sends my gorgeous hound into raptures.

We are inextricably linked.

BOFster - love your post.

I sometimes think it seems to be a huge responsibility to be so completely adored. I can make my girl so happy by picking up her lead and crush her totally by picking up my handbag (she knows I'll be going out without her).

my dogs are my soul mates, one in particular is particularly in tune with me - i suffer from anxiety and if i am feeling anxious he will come and sit on me but i feel bad because he will be quivering away like he is scared. I stroke him until he stops shaking, it calms us both down. My other dog talks to me.

Eric recognises many words and we have "conversations". He has a definite sound for yes and others that mean "I want your attention" "stop it" (when ds's are fooling around), "come here" and "let's go" I'm sure he'd love to be able to talk as he whines, growls, snorts and yaps throughout the day doing his best to talk.

When does this all start? Our puppy thinks 'oooo birdie', 'oooh doggy sausage' and 'I know I'm not meant to do this but ...'.

Eric has always been vocal, one of his first commands was "What you say?" to get him to yap. It's probably because I talk to him all day that he "talks" back.
I ask him "Are you thinking things?" and he makes his yes noise and then I say things like " Are you thinking bed time?" and he snorts which I think means no. Then I offer various alternatives like bath/car/ball which all get snorts before asking if he's thinking walkies . It's part of the pre walk routine tbh once he's "said" yes I send him to "Bring it" which will get him to fetch his lead.
We save these sort of routines for when there is only family about though as my friends would think I'm nuts.