Friday, March 30, 2012

Animal Voices

I have this funny, I guess sort of strange thing I do with my animals (all of them). I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this, but honestly I was trying to come up with a few paragraphs for the blog today since I hadn't gotten to it for some time, and I thought about this thing that I do. I talk to my animals--horses, dogs, and cat and I realize that isn't so strange because I know a lot of people talk to their animals. However, I sort of take it once step further and have my animals talk back to me. You're probably wondering what the heck I mean by that, or maybe you're thinking this woman is off her rocker. A few people might think that, but I'm okay with that. Really I am.

Anyway, back to the part where the animals talk back to me. Let's say I'm talking to my dog Java who is gigantic Rhodesian Ridgeback (not your typical Rhodie) and although Java is gorgeous, he appears to be a bit lacking in brain cells. At the very least he knows how to play dumb quite well. So, when I ask Java a question like, "How was your day?" "He" answers me back with "his" voice, which happens to be rather low and quite dumb sounding (think Scooby Doo here). I wish I could do "his" voice for you here, but I can't and honestly, I probably wouldn't because you would then seriously think I'm off my rocker. Mylee who is our pound puppy has a much higher and far more intelligent sounding "voice," and her answers tend to throw Java under the bus on a regular basis--calling him not so nice names. it's really kind of entertaining when I have an entire conversation going on between the three of us. Then, there is Daisy (our two-year-old doberman). Daisy has a scratchy high voice and is quite needy. She is constantly saying things like, "Love me, Mom! Aren't I pretty? Aren't I great?"

And, now (yes--I am crazy) we have a new puppy in the house named Ella (I call her Lala). Lala has a tiny baby girl voice and she is constantly insisting. "No, no, no--I did not pee pee. That was Daisy. I promise, cross my heart."


As far as the horses go, well, Mister Monty is our little Gypsy Vanner guy and you can guess that he has an Irish lilt that sometimes sounds like a cross between a British/Spanish accent (I don't quite have the Irish thing down yet, even though my heritage dictates a lot of Irish blood in me. His answers to my questions are always highly intelligent. My mare Krissy, who I also call Princess (well, you can only guess what she might sound like and what a discussion with her might be. Basically she always wants to know where her "damn" cookies are). And now I have my 3 girls--Bronte, Mia, and Kaia and they have very young, sweet voices and they all answer their "mommy," in just the right tone. Yeah right. Each one has their own, strong personality just like the human teenagers in my life.

I'm not sure why I do this with my animals--maybe it's for pure entertainment, maybe it's to drive my kids crazy (which it does seem to have that effect, however, I have caught each one of them trying to hide their laughter at this little game I play) or maybe I am off my rocker. It doesn't matter why I do this, I just do.

I'm curious though, does anyone else out there not only talk to their animals, but do your animals talk back, or at least do you talk back for them, saying what you think they might be saying back to you? I'd love to find out that I am not the only crazy animal person around.

Cheers,

Michele

9 comments:

Linda Benson said...

Ha! But of course, Michele! Of course I talk to all of my animals, and they talk back to me. (I think that's what being an animal person is all about - we try to know what they are saying, at any rate.)

Also, here's what I've discovered in my life - all of my "Human" best friends talk to animals, too. If they don't, well I probably don't have much in common with them. *grin*

TBDancer said...

THANK GOODNESS!! I am among FRIENDS!!

My animals "talk" to me all the time. I speak to them like an adult would speak to a child, NOT talking DOWN to them (oh, the penalty I would pay if I did THAT!) and they talk to me in either doggy or horse voices.

That's where I get away with the "baby talk"--when THEY talk to me. That way I'm not labeled the crazy old maid who talks baby talk to her "children."

I used to take lessons at a very prestigious dressage barn in Highland, and I was the ONLY person who carried on a conversation with my horse while I was grooming, saddling, warming up, etc. Everyone else just did the work without saying anything to the other species they were near.

Of course, I'm the weirdo, but I also had a horse who had a wonderful work ethic and who responded to "Good boy!" regardless of who uttered the words ;o)

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, I'm in good company, but I think I'm even crazier. I have several nicknames for my dog whose name is Lief. Someone once asked me why I never seem to call him by his real name and I said, "oh, that's how he says it (Weef, or Woof), he has a hard time pronouncing "L"."

Unknown said...

Well, of course, I talk to my animals. And they always answer back. :-)

Laura Crum said...

Great post, Michele! I really did giggle when reading it. Yes, I talk to my animals. I don't actually answer back for them, though. Does this make me a lesser animal person? This morning Sunny trotted up with his usual shrill nicker, and I said in response "Hey, Sunny, do you want your breakfast?" and he nickered back at me, quite clearly saying "YES!" I call that having a conversation (!)

Gayle Carline said...

I knew there was a reason for us to be buds! I talk to all my animals and they talk back. Snoopy, my gelding is the most fun. He's my four-legged Forest Gump. He's got his own blog and I'm helping him write his memoir.

Francesca Prescott said...

What a laugh, Michele! Yes, I chatter away to Qrac all the time. Does he reply? Of course. He sounds like Antonio Banderas :)

xx

Alison said...

Loved your post, Michele, but I must confess that unlike the other commenters, I love my animals because as an introvert, none of us needs to talk. I love the silence of the barn and the silence of my dog walks (I'm down to two) except for the sounds of nature. So it's funny that you (as an extrovert?) want that constant communication while I want plain old quiet except for the sounds of the sparrows in the loft and the crunch of chewing hay. I think that means animals can be whatever we want!

mtaitzeller said...

OH my Michele, I laughed so hard at your blog. I don't know you but I love you. I talk to my animals all the time and I love people who do the same. In addition to my horses I have pet rabbits at home too and they have no voice but I always know what they want when they come to bump my foot or leg with their soft fuzzy noses or scratch on the top of my foot. Animals are far smarter than most people give them credit for and silent communication with an animal is a skill that takes years to develop, some of us 'get it' but for the ones that don't, its their loss. :)