“Who’s a good doggo? You are! You wittle cutiepatootie.”
Sounds familiar?
You’re not alone…
Many fur parents are guilty of baby-talking their dogs.
I know I do too.
But why do dogs like it?
And why do hoomans do this?
Science reveals the secret…
Continue reading to find out:
- The truth whether Fido thinks they’re a baby or not.
- 1 scientific reason why we use baby talk with dogs.
- How much Fido can understand when you use baby talk.
- 7 cute reasons why dogs like baby talk (#5 and #7 will melt you).
- And that’s only the beginning…
Table of contents
7 reasons why dogs like baby talk
#1: Their sense of hearing is more sensitive than humans
Does Fido tilt their head when you baby talk with them?
Do they wag their tail and then get all excited?
Or do they bark back when you talk?
Well, there could be a reason for that.
Since you use a high-pitched tone of voice…
Your dog might respond better to it.
Why so? That’s because science says:
Your dog has a hearing range of 67 to 45,000 Hz.
“What’s Hz?”
That stands for Hertz, the unit for measuring frequency.
Now, Fido can hear sounds 100,000 times better than you and I do. And this means they’re more sensitive to noise.
Moreover, according to Dr. Bekoff:
Your pooch could pick up sounds you won’t hear at all.
So next time you use baby talk with Fido…
Don’t feel embarrassed. You could be using the right tone that sounds clearer for them.
#2: Dogs are as smart as a 2-year-old kid
Fun fact: Science found that dogs are as smart as 2-year-old kids.
Now, that adds to why Fido reminds you of babies.
For example…
Have you noticed how your dog learns some words? Just like how a young child would?
And what’s more amazing is:
Your dog has 3 types of intellect. To be specific, I’ll list them down for you.
#2.1: Adaptive
When dogs learn on their own, it means they adapt to their environment.
And they’ll use their knowledge to solve problems.
#2.2: Instinctive
This refers to what dogs naturally know. Something that’s already in their breed or species.
#2.3: Working and obedience
It’s the same type of intellect you’d get from school. This means dogs learn from their training.
By being obedient, they pick up something new.
Now, with these 3 types of intellect…
It’s still unclear what dogs use to respond to baby talk.
Though, some experts think they simply learned what it means.
Your dog might be like:
“Oh, my hooman seems to enjoy talking like that. So I should respond happily too.”
But no matter which type of intellect Fido used…
It doesn’t change the fact that most dogs would prefer baby talk. After all, they’re as smart as a young child.
#3: The words sound more exciting
As I mentioned above, these Fidos are smart.
And since they can learn a few words…
Your pooch gets excited upon hearing them. Especially using your baby talk tone of voice.
Fun fact: Dr. Coren says that most dogs can learn up to 150 words.
With so many terms they can understand…
It’s no wonder that Fido gets excited when you say words like:
- Toy.
- Eat.
- Run.
- Play.
- Park.
- Walk.
- Treat.
- Swim.
Now, these are just a few common examples.
But do you know what’s more interesting?
Even if you say your dog’s favorite words…
Sometimes, they won’t react. Unless you say it in your baby-talk voice.
Hmm, why would they do that?
You’re about to find out in the next section…
#4: Your dog’s used to baby talks
How long have you been talking to Fido this way?
I know most fur parents would say the same thing:
“Since they were puppies.”
Or as long as you could remember.
All you know is that it’s just something normal to you and Fido.
And that’s why some experts suggest:
Your dog got used to baby talks. So that’s the only tone they best respond to.
It’s almost like learning a language.
And many people are more comfortable with their mother tongue.
So other than barking…
Baby talk is like your pup’s secondary language.
That’s why they respond to it better. Especially when you use words that they’re familiar with.
#5: Dogs might think you’re their parents
Plenty of studies say:
Your pooch might think you’re their parent. And that’s not surprising. After all, many dog lovers treat Fidos like their own children.
But what lead these furry pals to this kind of bond with hoomans?
You see, it’s all due to domestication.
Since dogs got closer to people, they worked with hoomans like a team.
For example, it’s when Fido did jobs like:
- Hunting.
- Herding.
- Tracking.
- Guarding.
- Delivering.
- Protecting.
- Carrying wagons.
During those times, man’s bond with dogs got stronger.
And back then, Fidos were more of a partner or best friend. At least, that’s what many people in the past thought.
But nowadays…
Most Fidos spend their time as your happy family members.
They don’t need to work hard just to get some food. All they need is to be a cute, good pooch.
Thus, your dog relies on you for survival. And they expect you to be their protector, too.
That sounds a lot like a parent-child bond, right?
Now, this might also make you think:
“Does my dog only use me for food?”
I get why you might wonder about this. But that’s not true at all.
In fact, a study shows 84.62% of dogs prefer your love over treats. And that’s like a hooman’s bond with a kid.
For example:
Even if a child doesn’t have a lot of expensive things…
Most of them are still happy to spend time with their parents.
Just like how your dog loves listening to you. Especially when you use baby talk with them.
Check out also: Can Dogs Imprint On Humans? 13 Signs Your Dog Imprinted On You
#6: Other animals do it too
National Geographic also says:
Baby talking’s easier for dogs to understand.
The exact reason? It’s not fully clear as of now.
But to add more from what the experts say:
Baby talking’s a way for kids to learn words. And it helps support the bond between parents and their babies.
Not to mention, monkeys also do the same thing.
“Wait, so does that mean dogs are related to primates?”
It might seem like it, but no. Dogs aren’t related to apes.
Or even bears and seals. And don’t even mention cats. These animals aren’t related at all.
That said, dogs and apes seem to like baby talk.
But they’re not the only Fidos that do this.
You see, a report suggests that birds might use baby talk too.
So if this behavior seems common in other animals…
Then it isn’t too surprising that your dog likes it as well.
And if you wanna learn more about this, watch this educational clip:
Check out also: Are Foxes More Cat Or Dog? 7 Things You Need To Know
#7: They can smell your happy hormones
Whenever your mood changes…
Your body releases pheromones. These are chemicals that Fido can smell.
After all, dogs have powerful noses.
In fact, PetMD reveals:
Dogs have over 300 million scent receptors. That means they can smell 100,000 times better than you and me.
“But what does this have to do with baby talking?”
That’s because Fido can smell if you’re happy.
When you baby talk your pooch…
You put more happy energy into it, right?
In that case, your body might release chemical signals from that.
Since your furry friend can pick up that scent…
They might think:
“Oh, my hooman’s happy when they talk like this. So it makes me glad too.”
That’s why they’d wag their tail the moment you speak to them. Cause they know you’re enjoying it too.
Not to mention, a study says:
Dogs also have an ability called emotional contagion.
This lets them understand the faces you make. So they’ll know whether you’re happy or sad.
That’s how smart these dogs can be.
“Why would they copy my emotions?”
This news report has an answer for that:
Apparently, Fidos tend to copy their fur parents. Especially when you’re feeling sad or anxious.
That’s because dogs are sensitive to how you feel.
So if you’re happy while you baby talk with them…
Your pooch would know that. Thus, they’ll feel happy ’cause you’re happy.
Reading tip: Can Dogs Smell Human Pheromones? 7 Surprising Facts – DogsAndClogs
Why do we talk in baby voices to dogs?
We talk in baby voices to dogs because they remind us of babies.
And this report further explains:
Humans find chubby cheeks, big round eyes, and wide foreheads cute.
Why so?
The human brain associates these traits with babies. And it happens beyond your control.
I mean, that’s how most babies look, right?
So as dogs evolved throughout time…
They became fluffier and had more baby-like features too. Just look at many toy breeds today.
As you can tell, they usually have:
- Smaller faces.
- Big round eyes.
- Fluffy fur that makes them look chubby.
With these looks, dogs definitely look cuter in the eyes of many dog lovers.
And that’s why you can’t help but talk to them in baby voices as well.
It’s also why you could love a dog just like your own child.
You might also like: 11 Weird Reasons Why You Love Your Dog So Much (It Hurts)
Do dogs think they are babies?
Dogs don’t think they’re babies. In fact, they might not even know what a baby is.
Though, they might act like one a lot.
That said…
Fidos can also learn how to use this for their benefit.
“What do you mean?”
Let’s say your pooch wants to get carried often, like a baby.
And you rewarded that by:
- Giving them a treat.
- Doing what they want.
- Smiling and encouraging them.
With these 3 things…
Your pooch might learn that acting like a baby is good.
But they won’t know what being a baby means.