I talk to Jake all the time I love talking to him, and I think he loves it too.

Thankyou all, i think have a happy dog here despite my failings n will always try to do the best can for her, she's taught me a lot. Who else would listen to a very bad n warbling rendition of 'Chagga nooga choochoo' n still have waggy tail.

I'm constantly telling mine she's a good girl, coz she IS, when she's just lying in her bed, when she's just walking to heel alongside me when I haven't even asked for it, when she's ignoring other gobby dogs and staying with me, when she accepts I'm going out and leaving her home alone, oh for just about everything! In fact, I think it's far more important to tell them how good they are for doing nothing, than it is for completing a task you've asked for coz she's too hyper and doesn't really want to know how good she is when she's done something well! Dogs love being talked to, so keep it up!

I talk to mine all the time, I think its good for them (and me )

It would be a very sad situation if dog owners were frightened of talking away to their dogs, so mumble and sing away!

Anyway, I think that "Good dog" can be said in so many different ways and if used during training then it is normally in a totally different pitch and tone and much more excited than day to day conversation. You could croon "horrible bad ugly dog" to your couch potato and he would look at you adoringly, so it is not what you say so much as how you say it.

Of course the important Command words are different.

Blimey! I am in trouble as I talk to mine all the time During the week I am on my own during the day, so who else am I going to waffle on to

I agreee that when training simple commands are needed but at every other time then I talk non stop! Especially now with the puppy, I praise him just for walking into the room or sitting nicely In fact I have started clapping when he does a wee or poo to show my appreciation at doing it in the right place

I might try that technique with my husband

It would be sad indeed, and saying 'come here you little ba**ar*' if said in a certain tone of voice would mean just the same as 'good dog/boy/girl. Command signals/words are different and should have the tone to make it so.

Well Im a total nutter as Im always talking to these.
Mojo answers back too, and we are often very engrossed in a two way conversation, just as well she doesn't understand my every word as I defo don't understand what she's saying.
I often talk to Tess but then Tess is so thick she needs me to talk to her, Im still trying to work out whether its English she understands or whether she has been spoken to in a different language

But they all love it....so I see no harm

Am sorry but have to disagree You're not a total nutter(not to us who understand, any road up ) Mojo is just beautiful'Mighty Mojo' (and all of you)n there is a language without any speech needed x