Do you think sometimes they mimic our speech patterns

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

I feel a little crazy even asking this, but lately I've noticed when Sasha does her "talking" sometimes it really sounds like she is! Like today I was petting her and telling her what a good girl she was and she made a sound that I swear on my life sounded like, "Uh-huh"...I know I'm probably nutty, but it makes me remember when I was little and we were visiting a family member and this family member had trained his dog to say "Momma". Do you think they pick up on the sounds we make sometimes? Not like they understand appropriate responses or anything, but just recognize a common sound we make and mimic it back to us randomly? Maybe I've just spent entirely too much time with her, and I'm starting to crack lol! Maybe it's time for more human interaction

[brembo]

My guy says "naawr" when I'm teasing him, it sounds a whole lot like no and I only get that sound when I am being a butt. I talk to Banjo a lot when I'm doing chores, and sometimes give commands while babbling. He does not miss a step either, he IS listening to my words and for sure recognizes them. Now if they grasp the concept like we do, I don't know. "Good boy" certainly always gets a tail wag, so at least he knows it's a positive sound coming from me.

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

Originally Posted by brembo

My guy says "naawr" when I'm teasing him, it sounds a whole lot like no and I only get that sound when I am being a butt. I talk to Banjo a lot when I'm doing chores, and sometimes give commands while babbling. He does not miss a step either, he IS listening to my words and for sure recognizes them. Now if they grasp the concept like we do, I don't know. "Good boy" certainly always gets a tail wag, so at least he knows it's a positive sound coming from me.

I chatter at Sasha all the time too, and I know she understands some words besides commands such as people's names, her favorite foods, etc. I'm just thinking since those big ears are going all the time maybe she's parroting back sounds at me (not that she actually understands the correct context in which to use those sounds, but more that it's something she hears me use all the time and is thus spitting it back at me). That's funny that you get told no when you're being a butt :P