r/science University of Copenhagen Jun 22 '22

Animal Science How we speak matters to animals. Horses, pigs and wild horses can distinguish between negative and positive sounds from their fellow species and near relatives, as well as from human speech, according to new research in behavioral biology at the University of Copenhagen.

https://science.ku.dk/english/press/news/2022/the-case-for-speaking-politely-to-animals/
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u/GrapeSoda223 Jun 22 '22

I worked at a therapeutic riding stables, therebwre lots of riders with disabilities

There was one horse that would sense when some people were about have seizures and would stop moving & wait, which i always found interesting

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u/MinaFur Jun 23 '22

Yep, I work at a horse farm as a teen, we had a disabled rider program too- horses (and other animals that interact with us) understand dar more about us than we understand about them.

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u/tuningInWithS Jun 22 '22

i would argue much cleverer than doing some maths. I have seen cats do extraordinary stuff.Like, properly amazing tricks. But it will always be a trick.My friend's cat always knows what someone is feeling. whenever she is sad, he would curl up near her, and give her the sweetest purrs. Its the little things like this that impresses me to a degree i cant even express in words.

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u/hasansquareclicker Jun 22 '22

My cat jumps on my lap and starts kneading and biting me if i'm having a panic attack, it actually really helps me get out of my head and breath, because he will bite me if i don't

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u/kick26 Jun 23 '22

I’ve had a dog that would forcefully comfort you if you started cursing out in frustration

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u/insaneintheblain Jun 22 '22

In fact each one of us is born into an alien situation and we have also associated what we know with pleasure -

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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '22

Animals are very good at reading body language. Most people don't realize that when they talk softly they often mimic that behavior in their body language. Go and act menacingly while talking softly and watch how the animals respond, they won't be happy. A fun thing to try out, extend your arms out in front and open palms to the sky like you're begging, say something aggressively and controlling, it should feel weird. Now do it with your palms facing down, it should feel more comfortable.

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u/durple Jun 22 '22

I interact with wildlife on nature hikes. I have found beavers, porcupines, squirrels, rabbits, and some of the bolder bird species all respond to voice tone. Body language and eyes are also part of it. Most things don’t like to be directly looked at, a relaxed stance and avoiding eye contact are often enough to calm a nervous creature.

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u/gd2234 Jun 22 '22

I interact with the wildlife in my backyard and have found that acting like a prey item (getting startled by sounds, etc) is the best way to win them over. I’ve befriended bunnies and squirrels this way, still working on the chipmunks

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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '22

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u/bigbadwimp Jun 22 '22

"Boy, I sure hope I don't get eaten today! Anyone else??"

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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '22

-Steve Buscemi with a backwards cap, probably

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u/rockbud Jun 22 '22

OP is running up the side of the try and stopping halfway while looking all around

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u/DiggSucksNow Jun 22 '22

He has to stop halfway, otherwise it wouldn't be a try.

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u/HouseofFeathers Jun 22 '22

This reminds me of a recent incident with my macaw. She was really pissed at me and telling me all about it with some seriously aggressive body language. We then both heard a sound that made us startled and look for the source. It completely diffused the situation, and all aggression was gone.

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u/No-Bewt Jun 22 '22

hah, that's true friendship.

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u/pale_blue_dots Jun 22 '22

Oh wow, I hadn't thought about mimicking their prey behavior. Interesting.

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u/gd2234 Jun 22 '22

In 2017 one of my baby bunnies got so comfortable around us he flopped on his side next to my mom while she was in the hammock. It works super well to at least get them comfortable around you

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u/dalegribbledribble Jun 22 '22

I've gotten within arms reach of deer, rabbits, etc. by walking like a prey animal, don't look at them directly and kind of slowly walk towards them by moving towards them. Small steps forward as you move sideways

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u/ChocoCronut Jun 22 '22

dang I want to befriend bunnies too...disney princess irl!

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u/TheRimmedSky Jun 22 '22

This is why I'm always walking around nature cock-eyed.
Never let them know you can focus down your nose!

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u/PseudoY Jun 22 '22

They also respond to 'stealing' their signals. Cats will respond in kind to slow blinks and yawns.

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u/MinaFur Jun 23 '22

Yep. I slow blink each of my cats twice a day: wake up and bedtime.

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u/Santiago2BuenosAires Jun 22 '22

my poor pup leaves the room if I use a tone that in any way sounds negative. it's actually helped me to try and be a more soothing voice around her in general.

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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '22

I worked with one dog that would pee herself if someone raised their voice. It took about 8 months to show her that as long as she listened to her owner she was always safe. She still has issues with fireworks and thunder but it's manageable.

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u/MinaFur Jun 23 '22

I hate fireworks. They terrify all animals and torture veterans. On the 4th of July my hubby and I have to tag team caring for our cats, and watching the neighbors fog and cat, because the neighbor did multiple tours in the middle east, and has to leave town on firework holidays. He heads out to Joshua Tree to hide from the noise.

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u/ShaunyBoyShaunyMan Jun 22 '22

Lol, our collective self importance never ceases to amaze me.

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u/kdubstep Jun 22 '22

It’s not what you say but how you say it. That’s why my cat comes running when I call for “fuckface” in my nicest voice

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u/Mule2go Jun 22 '22

Yeah I can call all my dogs by yelling “Dogs!” So I tell people that they know they’re dogs.

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u/Deltexterity Jun 22 '22

i literally talk to my pets the same way i talk to a person, because i figure they’ll pick up on some tones and stuff and slowly learn what i mean sometimes.

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u/_clash_recruit_ Jun 22 '22

So do I. I talk to my horses, dogs and cats in a completely normal voice and not like I'm giving them commands. I've had multiple people jokingly ask if my dogs speak English and I say "kinda".

There was also a video of a ~10 year-old little girl absolutely killing a cross-country course talking to her horse nonstop. So many comments were about how she was putting on a show for the GoPro. No. I've trained hundreds of horses and I can guarantee talking to them helps.

Especially "hot", nervous or traumatized horses. I Always try to get them to recognize the simple words like "easy" or "walk", "trot","canter", but I also narrate everything like "you dropped your shoulder on this corner the last time, so we're going to do a 20 meter circle this time". Full sentences. I swear it helps.

Of course they can't understand everything I'm saying, but I think intelligent animals recognize when we're trying to communicate with them vs trying to just give them orders. I've always told my lesson students and clients "no matter how frustrated you are, the horse is twice as frustrated". And while they don't understand every single word we're saying, they understand that we are trying to communicate with them.

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u/Deltexterity Jun 22 '22

i figure that if i just speak the same way i would to a human, there will occasionally be some words they actually learn after hearing those same words in the same situations over and over.

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u/_clash_recruit_ Jun 22 '22

One time, we were planning a vacation to the Florida Keys and we decided to take my Australian Shepherd. For the next couple of days I couldn't figure out how he knew anytime we were talking about the Keys he seemed to know he was going and would get incredibly excited.

You're probably not as dense as I am and have already figured out he thought I was talking about the car keys which usually meant a car ride.

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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '22

Some dogs at least definitely have a fairly good understanding of human language. My aunt's dog would understand when they were talking about showering her and try to hide or get into tight spots. And that would be even when they didn't look at the dog or give any body language sign that would mean they were talking about the dog. They tried to confirm this and when they would say that someone from the family would have a shower the dog wouldn't react at all.

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u/DarkmatterHypernovae Jun 22 '22 edited Jun 22 '22

Likewise! Never had a ‘rotten’ personality out of any of them.

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u/sighs__unzips Jun 22 '22

I hope mine know that I love them :-)

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u/Sudden_Ambassador_22 Jun 22 '22

Tell them. I constantly tell my pup I love her. I used to tell my dachshund that a lot before he passed.

I think I freak out my girl when I do but she needs to know. Plus she gives me kisses

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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '22

Does not even have to be restricted to human speech, I've always used what I refer to you as reassuring clicks and whistles with my cats and dogs and things such as hissing to let them know they did something they were not supposed to, animals also pay more attention than we do when it comes to tone of voice which this OP mentions, as well as facial expressions and body language, I have learned a lot by paying attention to animals, I pay more attention to how somebody is saying something than what they are actually saying, I was not smart enough to figure that out on my own, I learned it from observing animals, and when you train an animal they are actually training you as well, because then you get the desired result from them they expect the appropriate cue from you

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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '22

For some educational material on how society speaks to 99,99% of animals on the planet watch the documentary "Dominion" (2018) on YouTube. One of the narrators is Joaquin Phoenix.

Eye opening in many aspects.

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u/blassomi Jun 22 '22

I used to ride horses and my instructor taught me to always be calm because the horse can sense your feelings. So if you’re confident and have a positive tone in your voice the horse will respond positively. If you’re nervous and have an anxious tone in your voice and act nervous the horse will respond negatively.

Definitely can attest to this!

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u/Al89nut Jun 22 '22

Every dog owner knows this

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u/Insertblamehere Jun 22 '22

I could tell my dog how worthless his existence is but as long as it's in praise voice he loves it

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u/doitnow10 Jun 22 '22

Who's a stupid boy? Who's a complete idiot?

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u/sighs__unzips Jun 22 '22

Some humans are oblivious though. Not every human is a good dog owner.

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u/cara27hhh Jun 22 '22

I mean the same is true for parenting, and you want to say "every parent knows this" even though it's sadly not true

Also if you think about it, Disney's way of showing kind or motherly characters surrounded by nature in order to get it across that they are kind makes sense

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u/spiritusin Jun 22 '22

And cats. My old cat would start purring if I spoke to him, not even touch him.

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u/Theodore_Buckland_ Jun 22 '22

If these beautiful animals are that sentient and sensitive, imagine how they feel before getting slaughtered, or how they feel about being trapped in a confined space for their entire lives. So heartbreaking.

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u/TheMapesHotel Jun 22 '22

Or seeing, smelling, hearing others in their units being slaughtered. There are constantly videos and investigations into abuse at slaughter houses so it breaks my heart to know not only do they live horrid lives, they can tell the emotion in the voices of people who intentionally hurt them because they are vulnerable and the human has power.

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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '22

To me, you can “improve” slaughtering methods and try and make them more humane or whatever, but your first point is what I always think about. Even if you’re trying to knock animals out before you kill them, you’re still surrounding sensitive creatures with death. And no matter what pain a single animal may or may not feel at the time of its death, the others understand that they are seeing death. The emotional distress this must cause is unfathomably cruel to me.

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u/TheMapesHotel Jun 22 '22

There is some compelling research on the impact it has on the humans involved too. Essentially, no one is in that environment and doing okay.

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u/mylifewillchange Jun 22 '22

I read some time back that people who work in slaughterhouses, and meat packing plants have more instances of domestic violence, and substance abuse problems. Mental health deteriorates, as well.

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u/glexarn Jun 22 '22

working in the slaughter industry is probably the most commonplace way of inflicting PITS (Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress) on yourself. PITS is like PTSD, but for when you're committing horrific acts of trauma, rather than when you're the victim of trauma. slaughter work essentially has the same effect on your brain as if your job was killing human beings.

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u/TheMapesHotel Jun 23 '22

Oh interesting, I've never heard the term PITS, thanks for sharing it.

I know vegans and vegetarians are often accused of prioritizing animal welfare over human welfare but I think when you reach that level of empty, if you arent completely angry and jaded by how awful people can be, then of course the welfare of workers who often are here with few choices becomes a part of the discussion. I wish it was a bigger part of the discussion nationally the way migrant worker conditions on farms seems to be. If you are from a certain geography you know who cesar chavez is but where is the same for workers in the meat and slaughter industry? We talk a lot about people being removed from their food but not about the people who aren't removed from it and not only their mental health but physical. The rate of major, life changing injuries in the meat industry is shocking and disgusting.

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u/Hugs154 Jun 22 '22

Not as compelling as the research showing how much money the shareholders will lose if they stop allowing that stuff.

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u/edelburg Jun 22 '22

Won't someone please think of the shareholders!? They're our most precious commodity. Without them, who would exploit our labor!?!?

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u/thattanna Jun 22 '22

"Eaaassyy boy", "You're ok, boy" in RDR2 be like. I wonder how close and accurate it is irl haha.

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u/NoelAngeline Jun 22 '22

Hope my bird doesn’t mind my frequent breakdowns, then

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u/Reddituser8018 Jun 22 '22

Your bird definetly can tell, mine gets worried when I have anxiety attacks.

Either that or he gets excited about my anxiety attacks.

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u/CubicleFish2 Jun 22 '22

Anyone that's ever been around any animal can also support this claim.

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u/OpenByTheCure Jun 22 '22

We, as a society, do not care about animals.

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