There comes a time in every human-pet relationship, where the owner can’t help but to ask, “I wonder what my dog is thinking?”

After spending extra time together throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many dogs and humans have benefited from the opportunity to grow closer than ever before. Staying at home for weeks at a time, we begin to notice even the smallest details of our pet’s behavior, just as they begin to pick up on our human routines as well. 

Humans and pets share the understanding of their own personal unspoken language. My dog Luna and I communicate with the most subtle body language and eye contact. I am reminded of this each day at exactly noon, when Luna finds me in my home office, sits down directly in front of me and intensely stares, waiting to catch my attention. Without barking or making noise of any kind, she simply puts her nose on my knees and longingly looks up. I know exactly what she is trying to tell me: “Mom, it’s time for a walk!” I gladly respond to Luna’s subtle cues and we both head out for our afternoon walk. I often feel as though she is walking me, gifting me with a moment to reset from a day of work.

This unique human-pet relationship is explored in an article by the Whole Dog Journal, entitled “Telepathic Communication with Your Dog”. The article mentions Penelope Smith, one of the most well-known animal communication specialists and a pioneer in her field. Smith has written two books on what she calls “interspecies telepathic communication”, explaining her belief that many of the behavioral problems we see in dogs are actually an attempt to communicate something. “We’re all connected,” stated Smith, who has worked as a counselor for both humans and dogs. While she feels that both lines of work are fundamentally the same, by shifting her focus towards working with animals, she believes that she is also helping people throughout the process.

Whether or not dogs have a sixth sense is unknown, but it has been proven that dogs do have a heightened awareness of their five senses. Dogs have even been known to predict thunderstorms, earthquakes, and fires. Today, dogs are even helping those affected by epilepsy or other similar seizure disorders by warning of seizures shortly before they occur. Sensing an oncoming seizure ahead of time gives the patient ample time to get into a safe location and call for help.

Let us all take advantage of extra time spent with our pets by being more aware of the unspoken language we share with them. It is important to remember that pets cannot communicate their discomfort or illness with words, so we must play close attention to their behaviors and patterns. Just as our dogs alert us if danger is near, perhaps we can work on doing the same for our beloved four-legged companions.