DEAR JOAN: My wife and I are hoping you can settle a little disagreement that we’ve been having over our 2-year-old Goldendoodle, who is named Bear.
We adopted Bear when he was just a puppy, and we couldn’t love him more. He’s obedient, loving and playful. The dispute between us has nothing to do with Bear’s behavior, but with my wife’s insistence of talking baby talk to him.
I think it’s silly and I sometimes find it annoying. She says Bear responds more to her higher-pitched voice and to baby talk, and that he loves it.
I’m hoping you’ll tell her that it’s not necessary to talk baby talk to a dog. I’m not sure it’s all that helpful when talking to a human baby either.
— Mike C., Alamo
DEAR MIKE: While I agree that baby talk can make a wittle tum-tum feel ouchie, science is against you on this one.
In a recent study in Hungary, scientists used MRIs to measure brain activity and reception in dogs when hearing voices of different pitches, as well as baby talk. Higher-pitched voices and baby talk both sparked higher interest in dog brains and made them more receptive to learning and obeying commands.
Researchers believe the response stems from long ago, when dogs were wild, and higher pitched sounds signaled excitement at the presence of prey or danger. Modern dogs have inherited this evolutionary response.
That doesn’t mean that dogs only pay attention to higher voices. The researchers found that over centuries of living with humans, dogs have become quite good at interpreting human voices and language, and if it’s a voice they recognize, they tend to pay more attention to it over a stranger’s voice.
Dogs get the gist of what we’re saying, especially if your voice is paired with an action, such as asking the dog if it wants to go for a walk while picking up a leash, or telling the dog to sit and using a hand signal.
Bear won’t suddenly start ignoring you if your wife stops using baby talk. He recognizes both of your voices, so there’s no need to use baby talk unless Bear-Bear is doing something weally, weally cute.
DEAR JOAN: I have three bird baths in my yard, but the one that gives me the most pleasure is an upturned trash can lid situated under fruit trees. I have a great view from my kitchen table.
Squirrels and birds love it, and sometimes a covey of quail enjoys a drink together. Lots of critters need water at ground level.
— Judith Borlase, San Jose
DEAR JUDITH: They certainly do, and thank you for providing for them. Almost any shallow vessel can serve as a birdbath..
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When choosing a birdbath, make certain it is not too deep. Birds like to be able to touch their feet on the bottom. If you’re attracting a variety of large and small birds, you can create shallower areas by layering some rocks.
While we’re taking care of the birds and squirrels, don’t forget the bees and butterflies. They prefer small, shallow baths. You can float some wine corks in the bath to give them safe places to perch while sipping.
Keeping the baths clean and free of mosquito larvae also is important.
Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.
