Be a good animal communicator

WHEN my black-and-tan Cavalier, Twyla, is happy or excited, she twirls on her hind legs. When she wants a treat, she looks at me, then at the cookie jar, then back at me. When she wants to go out, she heads downstairs and sits in front of the door. And there is never any doubt that she would like a belly rub. Despite her lack of words, she is a great communicator.

Would not it be wonderful if we could talk, like Dr Doolittle, to the animals? Of course it would, but take heart: We actually can talk with them, in a manner of speaking. Human vocabulary may elude our pets, but they all communicate in consistent ways. By learning to read their tails, ears, fur and vocalizations, we can become fluent in such foreign tongues as Siamese and Persian, Pekingese and Bernese.

Look at tail wags.