Why I believe learning “dog” should be a prerequisite for every dog owner

Have you ever lived abroad?

Have you ever lived in a different culture or country than your own? Really lived there — experienced everyday life, started to understand the nuances, the humor, the unspoken rules?

If you have, you might have learned the local language. Or maybe you didn’t.

As someone who has traveled a lot and moved abroad myself (from Germany to the U.S.), I can tell you from experience: everything changes once you understand the language.

Language is such a powerful tool. It allows you to truly dive into a culture — to understand history, humor, emotion, context, and everything in between. When you don’t understand the language, you’re more likely to feel like an outsider. You miss important parts of conversations (and some really good jokes!). You misunderstand tone. You struggle to form authentic connections.

Communication is everything.

Now let’s bring this back to dogs.

When we bring a dog into our home, whether from a local shelter, a rescue abroad, or a breeder — we’re not just welcoming a different “background.” We are living with an entirely different species.

An animal with the cognitive development roughly comparable to a toddler. And yet, we expect them to seamlessly adapt to our very human world.

We expect a deeply social being to stay home alone for hours while we work — and feel frustrated when they pee in a corner.

We expect an animal biologically built to move for miles every day (especially high-drive dogs) to be satisfied with a short stroll around the block — without ever pulling on the leash.

We expect them to be playful and socially appropriate at the dog park — yet get annoyed when they bark at another dog across the street.

We expect them to understand our language.

We want connection — but often don’t understand them.

Here’s what I believe:

As the species with the bigger brain, and the one in the position of power, it is not just a “nice to have” — it is our responsibility to learn our dog’s language. If we truly care about welfare — about giving our dogs a life that is not just manageable, but genuinely fulfilling — then we have to step outside of our human perspective.

We have to step into their world. Because communication goes both ways.

And real connection begins when we stop expecting them to become more human — and start becoming more fluent in “dog.”

This is the heart of the work I do. I see myself as a professional translator — helping humans understand what their dogs are communicating, and helping dogs feel understood in a very human world. My focus isn’t just obedience or fixing behaviors. It’s mutual understanding. If you’re ready to shift from frustration to fluency, I’d love to support you.

You can book a call with me, and we’ll look at your dog’s behavior through the lens of communication — and start building a relationship where both of you feel seen, heard, and understood and change your dog`s behavior from the root.