A groundbreaking study by animal psychologists revealed what dog owners have known for years: our furry friends are excellent listeners. When we tell them about our day at work, the woes of our love life or our favorite TV shows, they attentively listen, wagging their tails and tilting their heads. However, when it's time to come inside, they suddenly develop a selective listening problem. No matter how many times we call their names, their ears refuse to hear our pleas.
According to the report, this behavior can be explained by the way dogs process information. When we speak to them, they listen to the tone of our voice, the context of the message, and our body language. They're smart animals that can understand up to 165 words, which is why we can teach them commands like "sit," "stay" and "fetch." However, when it comes to "come inside," they might have different associations with the phrase.
As one of the interviewed animal psychologists explained, "For a dog, 'come inside' might mean the end of their playtime, the beginning of their alone time, the end of their social interaction with other pets or humans, or the beginning of their nap time. It's a complex message that they might not want to hear, so they choose to ignore it."
The selective listening problem becomes more evident when we compare it to other situations where dogs have an acute sense of hearing. For example, they can hear the sound of a treat bag opening from another room, the jingle of keys that signals a walk, or the sizzling of bacon in the frying pan. They also have a sophisticated sense of smell that enables them to detect drugs, explosives, and even cancer. "Dogs are amazing animals that can do wonders with their senses. They're just a bit stubborn when it comes to coming inside," the animal psychologist added.
Dog owners know this struggle all too well. When it's time to leave the park or go back home after a long walk, they often have to chase their pets down or lure them with treats. As one owner put it, "My dog knows how to play me. When I say 'come inside,' he looks at me like I'm speaking a different language, then runs in circles and pretends he didn't hear me. But when I pull out the bag of jerky, he comes running like Usain Bolt."
The phenomenon of selective listening isn't exclusive to dogs, though. Parents of teenagers, spouses of snorers, and managers of procrastinators can relate to the frustration of not being heard. "It's like I'm invisible sometimes. I can say the same thing ten times, and they pretend they didn't hear me until I scream or use a bullhorn," a manager shared.
While it's tempting to get angry at our furry friends for their inability to listen when we need them to, we have to remember that they're just being dogs. Their selective hearing isn't a sign of disobedience or disrespect, but rather a natural response to a complex message. As dog owners, it's our job to learn how to communicate with them effectively and understand their needs and desires. And if all else fails, we can always resort to jerky.
