Trilingual Dog

  

Our dog, Sherlock, is trilingual.

He was a rescue, a three-month-old male. We went to  the SPA, the name of the local animal rescue center, looking for an older, small female. 

The person in charge, reached under a counter and pulled out a fuzzy male of just three months and put him in my arms. He kissed me.

According to his DNA, his mother was a Yorkie, his father a mixed Jack Russell with all sort of breeds in his genes. 

His name was Spider, which we quickly changed because a good, good friend, is afraid of spiders. We thought of having a Facebook naming contest, but as a mystery writer, Sherlock was a natural choice 

Even as a pup, we realized that he understood much of what we said by his body language. His understanding was also signaled by ear directions.

Thus we started saying things we didn't want him to understand in French. Ice cream, glace, go, allez and entire sentences. 

Oh là, là, là.  

We realized he developed a third language, a series of barks, whines, growls always used for the same things. If we didn't respond, those same sounds would be combined with soul-searching stares.

His body language would include spins and placing himself where we would get the hint..."I'm in the kitchen, how about food?" or "I'm by the door, let's go walkies." 

I suspect he thinks we are less than bright that we aren't speaking his language.

However, we have a friend whose dachshund speaks button. The owner has yes and no buttons and the dog will push the no repeated times when she disagrees with her owner or yes when she agrees with the owner.