hello azz,i just saw a show,on the bbc,about human//dog relationships,they touched base on language//barking,and how dogs have evolved to bark,most other k9 dont really bark as much,very interesting stuff..

Er, yes I apologise to Dougal if I stand on him occasionally. He doesn't get it but wags anyway

well i've come to the conclusion that either it's normal to apologise to a dog or theirs a lot of crazy people on this forum including me

always did, always would. i would say "excuse me, please" too. absolutely normal, sound like a nice owner to me. well done.

I also talk to my dog all the time, she is one of my best friends (she has me whipped though and i never win an argument :P)
Yes i do apologise, I'll put on a baby voice and give her a cuddle, when i do that she walks up to me with her head down trying to get all the sympathy

LOL Dougal doesn't get that unless he's playing and has a hold of my arm which I need for something else.

Normally it's 'oi, heid, move!' Cause he's on the couch in front of me standing up and I can't see the telly. (Yes, I know he's deaf but I still do it).

I always apologize if I do something to Maggie... I usually talk to her and tell her I am sorry and rub her ears.

However I talk to Maggie all the time. I believe she understand English and lately a bit of French too! I have been practicing my French while in Switzerland. So I have been using commands in French with Maggie.
"ici" Maggie!

So I think it's totally normal!

I always apologise to mine if I trip over them, step on them or accidentally bop them on the nose. It just seems a way of letting them know that it was an accident and you would never deliberately hurt them. Mind you, I talk to them all the time and often find myself saying thing like 'excuse me' or 'please'. I say 'thank you' to them when we've finished playing and it's time to put toys away - it means 'the end, no more playing today!' but just seems a nice way of putting it. Bonkers?? Most definitely!!

Bonkers? Most definately NOT!!