Ever wondered if you video called your dog when you are away, whether it will recognize you?
Then this article is for you.
Despite having no solid evidence, experts conclude that it entirely depends on the dog.
Heidi Cooley, a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital, says, “Each dog is different from the other.
This means that different dogs react differently to the video calls, and as a dog owner, you should expect any kind of reaction.
Some dogs may show no interest, while other dogs may recognize their owner’s voice or even their faces through skype or facetime. The dogs that enjoy their owner’s video calls usually look very excited to see, while others may be passive to the action.
However, if you miss your dog, it would not cost you to get the one taking care of them to hold the phone for them as you video call. In addition, you may get a reaction that will help you feel better and closer to your dog until you get back to them.
Dogs are more likely to comprehend and understand voice calls better compared to video calls.
Video calls get lost in translation to the dog world because of their poor vision of up-close small objects.
It is hard for dogs to focus on the image when the image is small, combined with a lot of brightness.
As a result, the photos are most likely going to be distorted for their vision.
They will, however, pick up from their owner’s voice.
How To Tell When Your Dog Recognizes Or Understands You During A Video Call?
While talking to them, the most common way to know whether they understand you is through their body language.
Body language shows how alert they are and shows they can hear you.
This body languages include;
- Tilting their heads
- Perking their ears
- Wagging their tails
- Whining
- Barking at the phone with happiness
To get a reaction from them, you can tell them a well-known command.
However, it may not work in most cases because dogs are smart and know whether you are present or not.
In this instance, they know you are not present and, there will not be some reinforcement to their behavior, such as there will be no treats for being a good boy.
Your dog may eventually not have any reaction to your video call but do not be worried or feel bad.
They are probably among the dogs that are not able to comprehend voice or video calls.
Benefits To Talking To Your Dog When You Are Away
As much as the dog will bond more with their owners, pets are comforted and feel more at ease by hearing their owners’ voices.
As observed in hospitalized or boarding dogs. As soon as they see their owners or hear their voices, they become very excited.
They usually react by perking, wagging their tails, and increasing their attention towards their owners
Research shows that the area in the dog’s brain connected to human attachment, or that part that senses love, is activated when they see their owner or hear their voice.
Therefore, serotonin is released, having them very excited.
How To Help Your Dog Recognize And Understand You?
There are a few things dog owners can do to assist their dogs in recognizing them.
These include:
1. Focusing on the audio quality
Despite the uncertainty, whether dogs can recognize their owner’s faces, the owners are sure the dogs do know their voices.
It is crucial to have a strong internet connection that does not lag and clear volume, not too loud during video calling.
In as much as you want to talk to them, the owner should avoid stressing their dog by being mindful of the tone in their voice and using words instead of long sentences.
Dog instinct is strong. They can know whether their owner is sad, upset, happy, or angry.
2. Staying still and keeping it short
In comparison to humans, dogs see 25 percent faster. They notice even the smallest flickering.
It is confusing to them and may shift their attention.
Researchers advise that it may be better if they just see your picture than a video.
It is also advisable to keep the video call conversation for a maximum of two minutes.
Since the dog may mistake the long video call for a sign that you will be going home soon, it may be impossible for long calls since dogs are easily distracted.
3. Choosing a good host for the call
There are higher chances of the video call going well if there is a good facilitator.
A facilitator who can tell of any stress signs or whether the dog is happy in cases where the owner may not register through the video.
A good facilitator can also hand out treats to the dog.
It is crucial to have a warm person who is willing to interpret and animating reactions and actions on behalf of the owners.
4. Embracing inner scientist
Dogs’ attention to screen differs; as much as one dog may love watching nature documentaries, another dog may not find it interesting.
As an owner, it is crucial to create positive associations when calling.
It will most likely have a more positive effect on the phone call.
For example, you can arrange the dog to get treats or have their meal with you on the call.
With this association, they are most likely going to enjoy it.
5. Considering new dog technology
New inventions come up every day. The most recent development was an AI-powered dog collar by Petpuls.
The powered collar analyzes dog barks and tells the owner whether the dog is happy, anxious, sad, angry, or relaxed.
As technology keeps on advancing, we will soon see video calls that accommodate the needs of dogs more.
Conclusion
In conclusion, dog owners and their dogs need to have video calls.
It helps to keep growing the bond between them and help feel like the distance is not too much and that eventually, they will be reunited.
Considering their attention span and having a good host is one of the main things to consider when planning a video call with your canine.
