Woof, woof!

Do you speak dog? 12 words for communicating with your pet

Image: Camylla Battani

All creatures have a language of their own, and dogs are certainly no exception. But, over all the years humans and dogs have kept each other company, an undeniable communication has been established between the two. If you are a dog owner or are about to become one, take a look at the following 12 short and easy commands that almost any dog will pick up in no time!

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Probably the most the most important command any dog must learn, "stay" will come in handy daily.

To teach it, have your dog start by sitting. Then slowly back away. If your pet moves toward you, say "no" (more on this one later) and have them sit. When they stop, say "stay."

Image: Karsten Winegeart

An equally important word for children and dogs alike, "no" will keep your pet out of trouble. Use this command in any instance where you can see your dog doing something wrong.

To teach this, have your dog on a leash and place a treat on the floor. Walk your dog towards the treat and once they sniff it, say "no", while slightly pulling the leash towards you.

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Another classic dog word, "sit" can be used daily to keep your pet at bay when especially good behavior is needed.

Teach your dog to "sit" by holding a treat in your fist and putting it above your dog’s head. Slowly move it behind their head and when they crouch, say "sit" and reward them with the treat.

Image: David Clarke

This command is particularly useful if your dog gets a little too excited. Hold a treat in front of your pet and wait for them to smell it. Once they do, bring the treat down to the floor, and your dog will eventually follow. When their belly is on the floor, say "down" and give them the treat.

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Quite similar to the aforementioned "stay" but particularly useful for those times when guests arrive at your door and your pet gets too excited and jumps over the newcomers.

To teach "wait" to your dog, have somebody stand outside your door and call. When you open the door and see that your pet starts moving towards it, say "wait", while the person outside closes the door.

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If you are not one to allow your pet on the sofa or worse, the bed, "off" can be a useful command. While in an area with furniture, hold a treat in a fist and put it in front of your dog’s nose. They will try to get it, but keep your fist closed. When your pet eventually backs down, say "off" and give them the treat.

Image: Jamie Street

Every dog owner has been in a situation where her or his pet has picked up something against the owner’s wishes. The command "drop it" helps prevent your dog from hurting themselves and your valuables.

To teach it, you’ll need two identical dog toys. Give your dog one and let them play with it. Then, call them over and hold up the new toy. Say "drop it" and give them the new toy once they drop the other.

Image: Jamie Street

More often than not, kids and dogs need to be told when to go to bed. To teach your dog this simple command, put them on a leash and lead them to wherever their bed is. Once you get your dog in his or her bed, say the word "bed".

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Leashes are usually associated with going for a walk, therefore, this command will be quickly understood by your pet. Teach your dog how to get over the leash if he or she is tangled in it by wrapping it around the front paw, then slowly make the loop larger and pull it towards you. Your dog will lift their paw and when the leash comes off, give them a leash and say "leash".

Image: Luke MacGillivray

A command like "quiet" can be useful if your pet is barking excessively and being obtrusive.

You can teach "quiet" when your pet is barking by saying the word very loudly, over your dog’s bark. When your dog stops barking, give her or him a treat.

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Most dogs love getting into a car but just in case yours isn’t one of those, take her or him outside with a leash and have the trunk or door of your car easily accessible. Then, place a treat inside the desired sitting area and say "car." Your pet should jump right in and, after a few tries, understand when it’s time to go for a ride.

Image: Chris Arthur-Collins

Pups break stuff by treating it too roughly or biting too hard. If you see this kind of behavior, just say the word "gentle" firmly, while showing your pet your open palm towards her or him. Once they stop, caress your pet lightly, so as to imitate the soft approach you expect them to have towards the element that is being destroyed.

Fear Factor

What pet was Julius Caesar afraid of? Discover 10 rare phobias

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We all feel scared sometimes, right? But phobias aren't simple fears; They represent a type of irrational and strong fear of objects, situations, or activities that can cause intense feelings of anxiety. Some are very frequent, such as arachnophobia (fear of spiders) or claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces). However, there are many other phobias that are not only rare but also have some of the strangest names. Have you ever heard of chaetophobia? Do you know the term for mirror phobia? If you want to discover 10 uncommon phobias and the origin of their names, read on!

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Since old times, poets and artists have dedicated part of their work to nature, particularly flowers. In all types, sizes, and colors, Mother Nature has a flower for everyone, and we, as humans, have incorporated them into our culture in countless ways.

But not everything is rosy. Some people struggle when spring arrives. We're not talking about those allergic to pollen –although they suffer too– but those with anthophobia.

Άνθος (anthos) is the Greek word for flower. So, as the name implies, it's a deep fear of flowers, their appearance, contact with them, or, in some cases, even their scent.

Image: Waldemar

Do you have a lucky number? We do! Numbers represent a lot in our lives, both socially and personally. In fact, many cultures have adopted certain numbers as positive or negative symbols. For example, according to Chinese culture, 8 is a lucky number, while 4 heralds bad news. In Japanese culture, 7 is responsible for announcing good fortune.

Arithmophobia is the irrational fear of numbers. Some people with arithmophobia may reject all numbers in general, while others may associate the fear with a specific number, especially those considered negative or unlucky. Just like the word "arithmetics," arithmophobia has its origin in the Greek ἀριθμός (arithmós), meaning "numbers" or "counting."

Image: Yura Fresh

While connectivity allows us to work, find out what's going on in the world, keep in touch with our loved ones, and receive funny memes, technology can also have its downside.

Our reliance and dependence on laptops and cell phones have increased in recent years, and one of the consequences was the emergence of a condition called nomophobia.

According to the National Library of Medicine, nomophobia is the severe anxiety caused by the fear of being without your phone, losing it, or lacking cell service. Unlike most phobias, its name doesn't have Greek origins; it's actually a portmanteau: NO MObile PHOne phoBIA.

Image: Kim Davies

Cats and dogs have been part of our lives for ages, but while many of us may find them adorable, some people would prefer another type of pet. Why? Well, for many and varied reasons, and one of them could be ailurophobia.

Ailurophobia is the intense and irrational fear of cats. Its name comes from the Greek αἴλουρος (ailouros), meaning "cat," and φόβος (phóbos), "fear," and its symptoms and triggers can vary from person to person.

Surprising as it may be, this phobia is not new. It seems that this fear has been around since ancient times. In fact, some stories claim that figures such as Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great experienced this phobia.

Image: Caroline Veronez

What's the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? For many of us, looking in the mirror is part of our daily routine, whether it's brushing our teeth or trying on the outfit we'll wear to work. For some, however, a mirror isn't necessary. In fact, they would prefer to avoid it at all costs.

We're talking about eisoptrophobia, the irrational fear of mirrors. As you've probably guessed by now, this word is also derived from Greek but is a bit more specific. εἰς (eis) means "into," and ὀπτῐκός (optikos) refers to vision, image, or sight. As you can see, the word's etymology points to a fear of the reflected image rather than the mirror itself.

Image: Ionela Mat

Wherever you go, wherever you look, there will be words. On your phone screen, on the TV, on book spines, food packages, clothing labels, street signs, and even graffiti. They're everywhere!

All that will seem overwhelming when you learn about logophobia, the fear or terror of words. As you know, Φόβος is the Greek word for "fear," while λόγος (logos) translates as "word" or "speech." This fear can be triggered by a specific word, a type of word, or all of them.

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Believe it or not, sesquipedalophobia is the fear of long words. Ironic, isn't it?

In Latin, sesqui means "one and a half," while pedis is "foot." In Rome, there was a term for really long words: sesquipedalis, those that seemed "a foot and a half long." Over time, this Latin joke became part of the medical term.

But there's more! As if "sesquipedalophobia" wasn't long enough, the term "hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia" has emerged in recent years to describe the same fear. While the latter is not officially recognized, it seems that someone thought it would be good to exaggerate the term by adding the Latin monstrum ("monster") and hippopotamus.

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Peanut butter is one of Americans' major favorites. Whether it's breakfast or any other meal, this ingredient is a staple in most of our diets. However, there are those who can't tolerate it.

If you experience sweaty palms, dizziness, discomfort, or anxiety at the mere thought of peanut butter entering your mouth, perhaps it's arachibutyrophobia.

Arachi is a Greek term related to leguminous plants such as peanuts, and βούτυρον (bouturon) means "butter." Some people associate this specific phobia with the idea of peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouth, which triggers a fear of choking.

Image: Tim Mossholder

When it comes to looking good, hair is the key. We all know things aren't easy when it's a bad hair day, right?

While for most of us, it's as simple as going to the salon or taking some time out of our day to fix our hair, it's not so simple for others.

No one enjoys walking into the bathroom just to find a pile of loose hair scattered around. Definitely not pleasant scenery! But when dislike reaches an extreme, it can be chaetophobia, an irrational and persistent fear of hair. This name comes from the Greek χαίτη (khaitē), meaning "loose, flowing hair."

Image: Adi Goldstein

"Pennywise" is a familiar name to most of us, isn't it? Thanks to this iconic clown from Stephen King's novel and the movies based on it, we have all come to hear about coulrophobia, the fear of clowns.

While coulrophobia is quite common, there is another related phobia that is much less frequent. This is globophobia, the extreme fear of balloons, their texture, smell, the material they are made of, or the possibility of them popping. For that reason, globophobia is one of the phonophobias, associated with loud sounds.