How to have a meaningful chat with your dog

Psychologist Stanley Coren says there is a way to understand what your dog says and thinks.

He claims any communication breakdown is not the fault of the dogs, but of the stupid humans who cannot decipher what they are being told.

Some interesting tidbits:

Professor Coren says a bark followed by a howl means: “I’m worried and alone. Why won’t someone come to be with me?” If there is no response from the owner, dogs often sigh. This translates to: “I’m really depressed now. Nobody understands me.”

So how do dogs think? Professor Coren said: “Dogs make no distinction between humans and other dogs. They think we are brilliant hunters when we come through the door clutching a large piece of meat and when we provide them with food the moment they are hungry. But they think we are stupid when we don’t understand what they are telling us.”

Source: How Dogs Think ($24.95) by Stanley Coren via SMH