Kilo’s A-Z DOG DICTIONARY

For Training Humans to Speak Dog

The human- dog bond is amazing. It is based on the ability dogs have to communicate effectively with humans.

Kilo the little Black Pug has worked very hard training me over the last 11 months.  He is an excellent communicator so I thought it might be fun and helpful to share his dog dictionary- a guide to 26+ common words on “Wordy Wednesday”. You too can learn to speak “DOG”.

Kilo the Pug’s Key Training Tip

“Remember to always use positive reinforcement training with your human. This includes tons of your attention, tail wagging, barking, sniffing, and wet face licks.” – Kilo the Pug

A

Alpha: The too cool for puppy school, big boss dog on campus, leader of the pack aka me. I may be small but I am mighty.

A is also for Agility which is a fun way to run around with your human and get treats.

B

Bacon: one of the best foods on the planet, but surprisingly rare in our house. Treasure it when you get it.

B is also for Bath: A degrading form of torture humans love to submit you to when you smell good. Be sure to get your human and any surface as wet as possible after a bath. Shake on them and roll on the couch or bed. They deserve it.

C

Children: Small humans of perfect petting height, good for food and attention. They may use you as a pillow and the really small ones are not very sturdy on their feet.

C is also for Cat. Those mysterious adversaries with canned food, poop trays and sharp claws. I am not a fan, but I know some dogs and humans like them.

C is also for Chew, which I like to do. I enjoy putting socks, shoes, chews, treats, toys and just about anything in my mouth.

D

Dog Bed: Any soft, clean surface you choose to rest on. I particularly enjoy my humans cream king size.

D is also for Dancing, a form of physical expression which I happen to be quite good at.

E

Eat: My favourite Activity- putting food in my mouth. I like to practise as many times a day as possible. I’ll eat just about anything.

E is also for Explore: You have a natural urge to explore. Any good human will help this by taking you to cool new locations you can mark as your territory.

F

Food: I love food. Food is everything that goes in my mouth which is just about everything including dirty tissues, meat, vegetables, fruit, shoes, pens, peanut butter toast and ice cream.

F is also for Fetch: A strange game where your human throws your favorite toy or a ball far away then asks for it back.  You have to wonder why they throw it in the first place if they still want it and why they expect you to go and get it for them? I know certain dogs like the golden retriever at our local park seem to find this game fun, but I for one do not.

F is also for Facebook. It’s a social network where you can share photos and meet friends (and in my case girlfriends). Pop by and LIKE my Page, and of course Talent Hounds.

G

G is for Good Boy – that’s one of my names. It seems to be a term of endearment.

G is also for Garbage Can: A container located in the main food room in the house. It is often filled with tons of yummy treats that your human will try to hide. You must try to push the lid off or pull the bag to knock it over. Remember it’s a test of courage and skill that’s best done when humans are asleep or out of the house.

H

Head Tilt: Master this movement of cocking your head from side to side. Humans seem to believe it means you are “trying to understand” something and it looks cute. You will be rewarded with many treats and cuddles for this skill.

H is also for Help. You can Help your human with chores like taking out garbage, cleaning kitchen floors and plates left within reach, shredding tissues, digging in the garden, pruning plants and alerting your human to other dogs or strangers (especially the evil postman).

I

Instagram: The reason why your human will take thousands of photos of you. Photos mean treats and I love treats.

J

Jump: An involuntary action that happens when you are excited. See also Play Time, Zoomies, and Love. This action can be adapted for various activities like dancing and agility, in return for treats.

K

Kisses: Your human will show love by kissing you. They don’t lick or nip like us, but rather make odd noises and push their lips on you. Accept this gift graciously and reciprocate with very wet licks all over the face.

L

Love: A feeling of intense affection that triggers tail wagging.

L is also for Lap – the fave part of my human that I enjoy sitting on, especially if she is trying to work. I think it shows I love her LOL.

L is also for Leash – a device you can use to walk your human.

M

Mine: Everything in my human’s house is also mine. I see it, I smell it – it belongs to me. Always remember that.

N

No: A word that just isn’t in my dictionary and often seems to be linked to or confused with my name- Kilo.

O

Off: I hear this word a lot,  often linked with Kitchen Counters, Tables, Couches, Laps and Beds. To be honest I’m not exactly sure what it means and tend to ignore it.

P

Play Time: THE BEST TIME EVER. Humans often need to be reminded to play and have fun. Be sure your human receives the right amount of play daily. Best times for play are first thing in the morning, then when they are “tired” and “going to bed” or “have to work”. Don’t fall for their excuses.

BONUS WORD!

Pug: The best dog breed…obviously.

Q

Questions: Humans love to ask questions, most commonly used: “Who’s a good dog?”, “Do you want treats?”, “Where’s your toy?”  Don’t feel pressured to answer correctly, they will just ask again tomorrow.

R

Reward: My favorite thing! My human rewards me with treats and toys when I do what she asks. I reward her with licks, tricks, and Pug hugs.

S

Sniff: A social custom used to greet other dogs. Simply sniff your friend’s butt to say a hello.  Humans do not sniff butts, but don’t be offended.

T

Treats: My Favourite things in the whole world – treats are anything yummy to eat. I often get them as a reward for Training  and Tricks so I love them too.

T is also for Thunder: When there are loud scary noises coming from the sky and the world sounds like it is about to end. Comparable to other horrible noise makers like Fireworks and the Vacuum. Make sure to get lots of treats and cuddles to get you through.

U

Urinate: Humans have a strange bowl full of water in the bathroom that they appear to pee and poop in. I often insist on watching and have even tried to use it. I have also tried a few key spots around the house. Trust me, although that white shag carpet is nicer on the paws and butt, especially in winter, you’ll get way more treats if you go outside (or in their toilet).

V

Vacuum: An evil monster that makes scary noises and rolls around on the carpet eating everything in its path. One must never get sucked up so avoid at all costs.

W

Wastebasket: Located in the bathrooms and bedrooms, this snack basket is always full of fun white paper to play with and eat. W is also for Water which is only good for drinking. I hate getting wet.

X

X Marks The Spot: Remember where you bury your prize chew in the yard. But keep it quiet. Some humans don’t like fun activities like digging.

Y

Yes – is my favorite word. Treats often follow and I hear it quite a bit with “Good Boy Kilo”.

Y is also for Yard: A magical place your human has dedicated all for you to sniff and bury stuff and run around in. This is your kingdom, so defend it against evil squirrels, birds and cats who dare to enter. You may also hear the word “garden”.

Y is also for YouTube- a place to share all my cute videos. Stop by and SUBSCRIBE.

Z

Zoomies: When you feel hyper, the best solution is to run or zoom as fast as you can around the house with your ears back. Don’t worry if you knock over stuff, just have fun.

Inspiration

We were inspired to create this dictionary when I recently failed training class. Kilo had trained me too well and was definitely in charge. I think it is important to see the humour in things and keep training positive. Kilo definitely makes me laugh every day.

We also got inspiration from watching video’s such as Ze Frank’s Sad Dog Diary and the Be More Dog campaign by O2. Dog’s have life figured out. They live to enjoy each moment. Now if I can just teach Kilo not to raid the garbage or steal food or attack the postman, life will be even better.

We can all learn from dogs to be more compassionate, loving and care free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaYwXMmYPYs

Do you have any words or definitions or tips to share this Wordless Wednesday?