Well, a recent study published in “Animal Cognition” last month, found that dogs actually respond well to baby talk. Researchers at the University of York in the United Kingdom tested two different types of speech on dogs.
The very same high-pitched, melodic, and emotionally engaging voice that humans instinctively use with babies will catch and hold the attention of your dog—especially if you're using their favorite words (walkies, anyone?)
According to some psychologists, “baby talk” is a way of maintaining proximity and remaining “in touch,” delivering warnings, encouragement, affection, and reassurance even without direct physical contact.
Dogs tend to be more protective of babies and small children as well, but that doesn't mean that dogs really understand what babies are or what we call them. Dogs can tell a difference, but they probably don't know just what a baby is.
And with dogs having such a keen sense of hearing, even the slightest sounds will pique their interest. When your human baby starts to cry, your furbaby may react by 'crying' as well. One such way dogs cry is by whining. And this can simply be a reaction to the sound they are hearing coming from the new pack member.
However, canines can figure out the gist of what we want and gather a lot of information from our body language, tone of voice, the rhythm of our voice and intonation of speech. What your dog hears when you talk to him is his favorite melody – your voice.
Soft and reassuring (low volume, high pitch) – A soothing tone of voice expresses affection and caring and is often used when bonding with your dog. Think of how you sound when trying to comfort a baby.
Dogs like women's softer voices and smaller figures. They may be intimidated by a man's larger frame, deeper voice, and facial hair. Most veterinarians and primary caregivers are female, meaning dogs are more frequently exposed to women throughout their lives.
Almost all dogs responded to their own name and basic commands like: come, down, stay, wait, no, okay and leave it. Most of the dogs would wag their tails when hearing treat-seeking phrases like "good girl" or "good boy", while only a small minority would respond to less common commands such as "whisper" or "loud".
When a dog is kissed, it means bringing our face very close to the dog's face, and this is something that not all dogs are comfortable with. From a dog's perspective, putting our face close to their faces and plastering them a kiss on the nose, mouth or forehead, may be perceived as a bite or attempt to bite.
And what the studies show is welcome news for all dog owners: Not only do dogs seem to love us back, they actually see us as their family. It turns out that dogs rely on humans more than they do their own kind for affection, protection and everything in between.
It depends. "If the dog has learned to accept kissing on top of the head, then that's fine," says Shojai. "For a new-to-you dog, though, I'd find other more species-appropriate ways to show affection." The truth is that some dogs simply don't like being kissed.
As mentioned, pet-directed speech and baby talk have a lot in common. They both are slower, more melodic and of a higher pitch than adult-directed speech. What this means is that humans might naturally adjust their way of talking when they know that the person or animal they're talking to doesn't speak your language.
Dogs are extremely loyal members of the family and just like humans they can experience a variety of different emotions - including jealousy. This can especially be the case when someone new becomes a member of the family, such as a newborn baby and seems to get all the attention and affection.
Stage 1: Newborn and the baby alarm
Remember, your dog picks up on energy, and the energy that your baby is giving off while crying is anything but calm and assertive. Your dog may become distressed, too, whimpering, whining, and barking.
Canines are smitten with babies and can form strong connections because of the amount of time spent together. Both a baby and a dog, especially a young pup, have a common desire for a playmate and someone who will give them attention.
Dogs can get jealous of babies just like siblings can. They might not know how to act around a new baby, or not understand what is expected of them. Dogs could also be jealous of the attention that the new baby is getting.
A dog's mouth carries a lot of germs, which can easily be passed to people. This is especially problematic for babies and immune suppressed adults. Both are at an increased risk of contracting infections and parasites from dogs. So, even though it may look cute, a dog licking a baby's face should not be allowed.
They're showing empathy
If your dog is concerned about you, they may try and lick you to make you feel better and care for you. In a 2012 study, researchers asked owners to pretend to cry and found that their dogs were more likely to lick and nuzzle them than when their owners were just humming or talking.
Dogs who show aggression toward a new baby in the home often do so because they have not been well socialized to children and find them foreign and frightening. Some dogs don't fear babies, but they become aggressive when guarding their food, toys or chew bones.
Generally, dogs will want to sniff the baby and may nudge the baby with their nose or even lick the baby. For the most part, unless the baby was born with a particularly weak immune system or other health concern, these actions are perfectly fine and are a normal investigation process for your dog.
Fortunately, most dogs look upon a baby with curiosity and interest and will show no signs of aggression or other negative behavior. However, some dogs may perceive an infant as a strange mammal or even a potential item of prey. "Dogs that have never seen a baby may not view them as human beings."
Yelling or raising your voice
Dogs are very sensitive to human tone of voice; it doesn't take a lot to effectively communicate that you are unhappy with their actions. This means that yelling or even raising your voice at your dog is not only unnecessary, but it can have unintended negative outcomes.
In general, Bray says dogs probably think about all the staples in their lives, from food and play to other dogs and their pet parents. Like humans, how much time they spend pondering a specific focus “depends on the dog and their individual preferences and experiences,” she notes.