Dog-Human Translator??

Yesterday I came across this article about a device in beta that will translate your dog's thoughts into simple phrases that you can understand.  An EKG reads his brain waves and spits out phrases to reflect what he's feeling, like "This is splendid!" "Leave me alone." "I am so very weary." "Who are you?" "Em, why are you guys leaving?" "Is that really you?" "Night-time!" and "He must be a very nice animal."

I wonder what dog owners will think of this.  I, for one, am skeptical.  Not just because if it were to be successful, it could put trainers like me out of a job (!!) but because I honestly don't see how it could work.  For example, when my dog is confused, he gets frustrated.  Could a device like this translate that as anger, when the real issue is that he's confused?  I could see that creating a real communication breakdown instead of being an assistance.

On the other hand, the "Leave me alone" phrase could potentially be quite helpful.  Imagine how many dog bites would have been avoided if the dog could just say those three words.  Especially to children.  So, I suppose there could be some value to this.  But still, I'm more skeptical than not.  

What do you think?

What to Tell Kids

A great thing to tell kids is that when a dog is growling, playing too rough, or doing anything else that makes them uncomfortable, they should stand like a tree.  This means crossed arms, downward gaze, planted feet, and no noise or movement.  This is dog language for “Please go away.”

Tip of the Day: What to tell your kids

It’s not safe to instruct children to put their hands near a dog’s nose so he can sniff them.  Instead, ask them to make a fist and hold it down by their knees, and if the dog wants to engage with them he will approach.  Otherwise, it’s not safe to pet that dog.