You're listening to 20,000 Hertz. I'm Dallas Taylor.

Dogs are truly man's best friend. Around the world, almost a third of all households are home

to a pet dog, which adds up to more than 470 million canine companions. They protect our families,

keep us active, and show us their love as soon as we walk in the door.

Now, we all know that dogs are smart, sensitive creatures.

That's 20,000 Hertz producer, Layla Battison.

But to communicate with dogs effectively, we have to understand how they're wired to think.

Dogs are going to see us through a dog's eye view of the world, and that's very different

to a human one.

That's Dr Daniel Mills, who's an expert in animal behavior.

Dogs are incredibly observant and very good at predicting what will work and what will get them,

what they need.

So I think the starting point has to be to appreciate the fact that dogs want to

fit in. As in, they want to fit in with the people in their lives. And those social tendencies go way

back to their wild wolf ancestors. Wolves live and hunt in packs of about six or seven,

roaming together over hundreds of square miles of territory.

And when you rely on your pack for your next meal, it's essential that you communicate well with

them.

Vocalizations which you commonly find in the wild ancestors like whining and howling,

they are clearly social solicitation and they've retained that function.

So if a dog howls, it basically says, I want you to come to me.

It's what wolves do before they go off hunting.

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