Do you think animals can understand humans???

useful_contacts · 03-07-2009 11:56PM #1

Was going to post in animal and pet issues- but its a general question not just for pet owners.

Personally i think they can, i mean when i say "dinner" my cat tears across the house like he is on fire. the other day when he was crying to me for his fave toy and i couldnt find it i said "wheres your toy honey" and he trotted off and led me to it(caught between two big pipes donno how he got it in there- but basically he needed me to get ot out for him)

My dog when i was 10 understood everything i said (i think) when i said the word "sad" or "kiss" he licked my face, when i said "play" he ran and got his ball

I mean what do ye all think- can animals understand humans or is it like the simpsons (ie- bla bla bla sit)

03-07-2009 11:57PM

My dog understands everything, says nothing, and knows I'm a cnut.

bronte · 03-07-2009 11:58PM

My cat can.

She knows when she's done something wrong!
Edit: If you pretend to cry she jumps up and comforts you!

javaboy · 03-07-2009 11:59PM

Most if not all of that is just association. Say walkies when you feed him and foodies when you walk him and you'll get my point. They just learn to associate the noises and tones with the actions through experience.

It's basically conditioning: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_conditioning

brummytom · 03-07-2009 11:59PM

Our cat's the same... call him by his name, he'll look at you, shout any other name, he doesn't.

Same with the word "dinner" he definitely knows what it means, because he'll go to his bowl and wait.

He doesn't seem to understand that we don't want him bringing in half-dead mice/birds into the house though.

My name is URL · 03-07-2009 11:59PM

My dog knows that when I say the word toilet, its time to jump up on the couch and refuse to move

Tomebagel · 03-07-2009 11:59PM

Me and my dog had a full blown conversation yesterday,we talked about the recession.

04-07-2009 12:00AM

I think thats more to do with routine than anything else, e.g Like if i go to put my shoes on the dog will think its going for a walk. If i go to the press with his food in it he'l think he's being fed.

Trinity · 04-07-2009 12:00AM

Yeah everything except come back ya cnut.

ah if i ask my dog for a hug he wraps his paws around my neck and if i say do the baby he lies back in the crook of my arms

My rabbit comes when ya call him, chases the dog, jumps out at him when hes not expecting it, great craic watching them

But i suppose it could also be repetative behaviour, i show him what a hug is and he associates the word with the action

Eire-Dearg · 04-07-2009 12:02AM

My dog definately knows most of what I'm saying, before when I was telling him to do something or go somewhere I'd point but nowadays I just say the word and he does it easily enough. I think dogs are a great way to relax, you can talk away to them and sub-consciously believe they know what you're saying.

CreepingDeath · 04-07-2009 12:02AM

useful_contacts wrote: »

Do you think animals can understand humans???

Nah, it's just simple animal psychological conditioning.
In the same way that mods will ban people for certain keywords.

galwayrush · 04-07-2009 12:02AM

Intelligent animals or educated \ trained ones?:P

enniscorthy · 04-07-2009 12:02AM

D.E.F.O. M.A.T.E.

Ruu_Old · 04-07-2009 12:02AM

If I am having a lie down to get rid of a headache, they come in and sit by me to make sure I'm ok. Sometimes I might even get my hair cleaned. hehehehahaooo

Whosbetter? · 04-07-2009 12:04AM

Ah animals, they don't understand us when we need something.
On the other hand, when they need something, they understand us perfectly!

Bit like tourists/foreigners/your kids, really.:rolleyes:

enniscorthy · 04-07-2009 12:05AM

Whosbetter? wrote: »

Ah animals, they don't understand us when we need something.
On the other hand, when they need something, they understand us perfectly!

Bit like tourists/(some)foreigeners really.:rolleyes:

mate:D:D:D:D

Sharpshooter · 04-07-2009 12:07AM

Most dogs are trained by a verbal command coupled with a hand gesture. (

) then a reward.
They get to associate the two = the reward.

Having said that my dog absolutely knows if I am a bit below par and won't leave my side on those occasions.

My name is URL wrote: »

My dog knows that when I say the word toilet, its time to jump up on the couch and refuse to move

He goes on the couch?:D

emeraldstar · 04-07-2009 12:07AM

Tomebagel wrote: »

Me and my dog had a full blown conversation yesterday,we talked about the recession.

Had he any interesting insights to offer?

445279.ie · 04-07-2009 12:07AM

javaboy wrote: »

Most if not all of that is just association. Say walkies when you feed him and foodies when you walk him and you'll get my point. They just learn to associate the noises and tones with the actions through experience.

It's basically conditioning: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_conditioning

Well how do you explain Lassie and Flipper then

javaboy · 04-07-2009 12:08AM

445279.ie wrote: »

Well how do you explain Lassie and Flipper then

People in costumes obviously.

Sharpshooter · 04-07-2009 12:10AM

445279.ie wrote: »

Well how do you explain Lassie and Flipper then

No, you are not getting it.
Lassie and Flipper did the explaining.;)

My name is URL · 04-07-2009 12:13AM

Sharpshooter wrote: »

[...]

He goes on the couch?:D

If I told him not to he probably would. =p

Seriously, sometimes I drag him half off the sofa so that his front legs are on the floor and he just sits with his arse on the couch looking at me..

I know he's laughing inside

Ghost Girl · 04-07-2009 12:17AM

Oh yes they can understand, maybe conditioning what ever, but I know they understand when i saw how my dog hides on me when he doesn't want to come in from his walk. The dog defends our child from strangers, when we;re sad or sick, he knows some thing is up, and is going around with his ears down all day.

Knows routines, knows when we're leaving the house in the car - will be watching us until we get into the car, he's suddenly at our feet, no hide and seek then!!

Tomebagel · 04-07-2009 12:20AM

emeraldstar wrote: »

Had he any interesting insights to offer?

Its affecting him badly,he was let go from the pound.

anniehoo · 04-07-2009 12:24AM

Lovin the thread title! I flick between here and Animal and Pet mainly so am dying to give the long convoluted reason why animals dont think like us...but i wont:D:D . Short answer is animals are more intelligent than we give them credit for,but they dont "think" the same as us..although some AH posters would make me question that:D

Pets have an amazing capacity to learn sounds and actions but of course wont understand an entire sentence. Its a tone of voice and an action that they learn so yeh, id go as far as to say they "understand" us to a certain degree as long as we try and understand them back.

conchubhar1 · 04-07-2009 12:35AM

do you think humans can understand animals?

like woof - is bad
but a bark - they mean business

polly wanna cracker?

anniehoo · 04-07-2009 12:42AM

conchubhar1 wrote: »

like woof - is bad
but a bark - they mean business

polly wanna cracker?

Proves my point exactly

FearDark · 04-07-2009 12:45AM

Rarrrrrr rarrrrrrrr.... snarl.... bark bark bark bark.... snarl.

Pant...

Pant.....

Pant.......

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-BARK BARK BARK BARK!!!

anniehoo · 04-07-2009 12:49AM

FearDark wrote: »

Rarrrrrr rarrrrrrrr.... snarl.... bark bark bark bark.... snarl.

Pant...

Pant.....

Pant.......

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-BARK BARK BARK BARK!!!

Conchubhar1 is wreckin your head...yeh??Good boy!!

jumpguy · 04-07-2009 12:49AM

Naaah, doubt it. Sure we can't understand dogs or birds or anything. They might know what we're up to but I'd say they're confuzzled by alot. Like, why do we were clothes? Why do we live in such large dwellings yet so little people live in it? How on Earth do we work those large moving machines? Why do they always stop randomly?

Same way as when we see a red-mite or something we have no idea what it's doing wandering around on top of the wall.

FearDark · 04-07-2009 12:50AM

anniehoo wrote: »

Conchubhar1 is wreckin your head...yeh??Good boy!!

Yap yap yap...

Pant...

Do you think animals can understand humans???

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