Animal & Human Communication

Animal and humans sometimes communicate with body language.

Communication, in some form, can happen between almost all species. There are numerous theories about how communication works and how it may occur between species of differing intellectual capabilities.

Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is something that isn't unique to humans. Researchers have shown that, for example, ravens and gorillas can be taught to understand human language. Many animals appear to have languages of their own, but no one has yet been able to translate them into terms and concepts humans can understand.

Body Language

Body language is where most communication happens, even among humans. The way you stand, the pitch of your voice, the way you make eye contact and how close you stand to the people you communicate with are all aspects of body language. If you can learn how to read an animal's body language and it can read yours, it becomes easier to communicate between species.

Senses

The way that humans and animals communicate requires the use of certain senses. For instance, verbal communication is almost useless if someone is deaf. Additionally, humans don't have as keen a sense of smell as dogs, which means that humans miss a number of cues and signs that an animal would pick up on. The degree and sharpness of senses can make a lot of difference when it comes to communication between animals and humans.

Psychic Communication

There are some theories that humans and animals can communicate on a psychic level. While some research has been done on this theory, there is no proof that humans and animals can make a psychic connection.

Training

One of the most common ways that humans and animals communicate is when humans train animals. In the course of training, you show an animal how to communicate its needs to you. Scratching at the door, barking and leading you toward a certain area are all simple signs that you can teach an animal to help communication between the two of you.

References

• Pet Health Advisor: What is Animal Communication?
• Animal Talk: How are We Able to Communicate With Animals?