I Wish I Could Speak People-Ese

Being a dog is awesome.  I have a great day every day.  Still, there are things that I wish were different in my life with the People.  One of the things that I wish were different is that I wish I could talk the same way they do.  Sometimes, I think they have a hard time understanding me.

Here is a great example.  Sometimes we have what the People call Visitors. Not very often. Yesterday, there was a Lady visitor.  The Lady looked so friendly, and I wanted to play with her.  I didn't know how to tell her that I wanted to play with her, though. I started talking to her like dogs do...I barked.  She started acting strange and worried, like I was going to hurt her.  I was like, no, Lady, I'm not going to hurt you.  I'm welcoming you, and I want to play with you.  She couldn't understand me.

Then, the Mommy picked me up, and I stopped barking.  I tried talking to the Lady again, and the Mommy gave me the "Sush" signal with her hand, which is putting her hand over my mouth.  She told me to let the Lady pet me, and I did.  I liked it.  Her hands were soft.  I started to talk to tell her, but it was more barking. The People don't understand my dog speak.  The Mommy knows some of my words, but some of the other People aren't around me enough.  When the Mommy let me down, I started running to my bed, so I could show the Lady my things.  I wanted to show her my bed and my toys and all of the neat things I play with.  Still, I had to speak to her like dogs do, and she thought I was mad because I was barking.  I wish more People understood my dog speak better.

The Mommy is really good at knowing what my different barks mean.  Like, if I see someone I want to play with, I do two short barks.  The Mommy says it sounds like I am saying, "Hey You, Hey You!" If I'm mad because one of my dog friends walked by and I can't play with them, I will let out a howl.  If there is trouble, and I need the Mommy's attention, I will do a lot of little barks in a row. They sound like, "Help, help, help, there is trouble, trouble.  Help, help, help, there is trouble, trouble."  If some other dog is being mean to me or my People then I do a deep bark and also growl a little.  I hardly ever do that.  When I am excited, I do a high pitched bark.  That's usually when I am excited to meet someone new.

I do that too when I see little kids.  The Mommy always tells me not to bark at the kids.  She says it makes the kids afraid of doggies, and she wants the kids to think I am a nice dog. I want them to think I am a nice dog, too.  I want them to play with me.  I like to run and play.  Still, I don't get too close to the little kids because I don't want to accidentally scratch them or make them afraid of dogs in any way.  I want kids to like all dogs.  Sometimes, the Mommy will say, too, "It's a Baby, Manny." Then, I know not to bark.  I just sit down and let the Baby pass. A Baby is the littlest version of the People.  They are almost the same size as me.