Hooman-Übersetzer: Was dein Mensch wirklich meint

Golden retriever lying in purple flowers in a morning floral collar

Ein Übersetzer von Menschen- zu Hundesprache, geschrieben für Hunde. Wähle aus, was dein Mensch getan hat, oder tippe etwas auf Englisch ein und erhalte es in Hundesprache zurück.

Hello, dog. What did your human do?

Pick the weird thing. We explain it in dog, with one real science fact so you can win arguments at the park.

Kisses Leaving for work Shoes on The vacuum Baby talk Who's a good boy? Hugs Phone staring Bath time Sneezing Yawning Pointing Crying Saying my name Who did this?! Their smell

DoggoLingo translator: English to doggo speak

Type like a hooman. Get it back in heckin good doggo. Words with their own page in the dictionary turn into links.

Example

Henlo frend! I lub u heckin much. Is it time for a walkies? Pls give me a snacc. Borf.

Every human behaviour, decoded for dogs

The full list, in case your human does all of them before breakfast.

Why does my human kiss me?

Your human pushes their face into your face and makes a smacking noise. This is not an attack. In hooman, it means "you are the best thing in this house". You may lick back. You may also leave. Both are fine.

The real science: When dogs and their owners gaze at each other for a long time, oxytocin, the bonding hormone, goes up in both of them. [1] The kiss is your human's version of that look.

Good-dog tip: Not every dog likes faces up close. If you turn away, a good hooman switches to chin scratches.

Why does my human leave every morning?

Every morning your human goes to a place called Work. Work is where hoomans collect the money that becomes kibble, toys and that squeaky hedgehog. They always come back. Guard the sofa until then.

The real science: Dogs bond with their humans in a way that, in the lab, looks a lot like a child's attachment to a parent. [2] Missing them is normal.

Good-dog tip: If being alone gets really hard (howling, chewing the door), your human should talk to a vet or trainer about separation anxiety.

Why does my human put on the outside paws?

Shoes are outside paws. When your human puts them on, one of two things is about to happen: walkies (yes!) or leaving (no!). Watch closely for the leash. The leash is the tell.

The real science: Dogs learn the telltale signs that their human is leaving, like putting on shoes or a coat and picking up keys. [3]

Why does my human walk the loud monster?

The vacuum is not a pet. It eats your floof and screams the whole time. Your human walks it around the house because it can't go out alone. It is doing you a frighten because it is loud. Very loud. For you, extra loud.

The real science: Adult humans hear up to about 20,000 Hz. Dogs hear roughly 47,000 to 65,000 Hz, so a vacuum may sound very different to you. [4]

Good-dog tip: Hoomans: start it in another room and pair it with treats.

Why does my human talk in a squeaky voice?

"Who's a widdle snoot? WHO'S A WIDDLE SNOOT?" That is baby talk. Your human's voice goes up three floors when they see you. It means you are very important and possibly made of marshmallow.

The real science: Puppies react strongly to high-pitched dog-directed speech; in the same study, adult dogs didn't react to it any differently than to normal talk. [5]

Why does my human keep asking who's a good boy?

Your human asks "who's a good boy?" a lot. The answer is you. It is always you. It's a trick question with only one answer. Wag accordingly.

The real science: In brain scans, dogs' reward areas responded when praise words were said in a praising voice; the words or the tone alone weren't enough. [6] Your human means it.

Why does my human squeeze me?

A hug is when your human wraps their front legs around you and holds on. Hoomans do this when they love something. Dogs do not do this. Ever. It's very confusing for everybody.

The real science: Psychologist Stanley Coren looked at 250 photos of people hugging dogs; 81% of the dogs showed at least one sign of stress. [7]

Good-dog tip: Hoomans: a lean, a sit together or a chest scratch says the same thing in dog.

Why does my human stare at the glowing rectangle?

Your human holds a small glowing rectangle and stares at it for hours. It doesn't smell like anything. It doesn't throw. Sometimes it has pictures of you in it, which is the only good part.

The real science: Dogs can read human faces in pictures too: in one study, dogs learned to tell happy human faces from angry ones in photos. [8]

Why does my human put me in the giant water bowl?

The bath is a giant water bowl that you are not allowed to drink from. Your human puts you in it to remove your favourite smell. Afterwards you are legally allowed to do the zoomies.

The real science: Dogs often get the zoomies after something stressful like a bath. [9] A rubber mat in the tub and a slow start help nervous bathers. [10]

What does it mean when my human sneezes?

Your human just made a giant AH-CHOO. In dog, a sneeze during play means "this is fun, I'm not serious". In hooman, it usually means a tickle. Bless them anyway.

The real science: Among dogs, sneezing is a way of communicating playfulness. [11]

Why do I yawn when my human yawns?

Your human opened their mouth very wide for no reason, and now you did too. Yawns are contagious, even between species. You're basically twins.

The real science: In one study, 21 of 29 dogs yawned after watching a person yawn. [12] Dogs are four times as likely to catch the yawn of a person they know. [13]

Why does my human point at things?

Your human sticks out one finger at the floor. Look where it points, not at the finger. That's where the treat is. You are, frankly, a genius at this.

The real science: Dogs follow human pointing to find hidden food better than chimpanzees, and even puppies a few weeks old can do it. [14]

Why is my human leaking from the eyes?

Sometimes your human sits very still and leaks from the eyes. This is called crying. It means they're sad. The correct response is to go and lean on them. You already knew that.

The real science: Dogs approached a person who was crying more often than one who was talking or humming. [15]

Why does my human keep saying that one word?

Your human says one word to you a lot, usually right before something good. That's your name. Turn around when you hear it. Snacks follow.

The real science: Dogs learn their name the way they learn anything: say it, reward the look with a treat or a marker word, repeat. [16]

Why does my human ask who did this?

Your human is holding a shredded cushion and asking who did this. Rhetorical question. Do the eyes. The big ones. Ears back. Works every time.

The real science: The famous guilty look shows up more when owners scold, whether or not the dog actually did anything wrong. [17] It's about the scolding, not a confession.

Why does my human smell so good?

Your human smells like home, the sofa, yesterday's sandwich and themselves. It's the best smell in the world. You can find it in their socks.

The real science: In brain scans, the scent of a familiar human lit up dogs' reward-linked caudate the most of all the scents tested, other dogs included. [18]

DoggoLingo glossary: what does hooman mean?

The words the translator uses. Each linked word has its own page in the DoggoLingo dictionary.

hooman
Hooman is DoggoLingo for human: the tall, treat-holding creature who lives with you. [19] “My hooman is the best hooman. Do not tell other hoomans.”
heckin
Heckin is the DoggoLingo intensifier, used in place of very or extremely. [19] “This is a heckin good stick.”
doing me a frighten
DoggoLingo builds verbs with doin me a: doing me a frighten means you're scaring me. [19] “The vacuum is doing me a frighten.”
snek
A snek is a snake, also known as a danger noodle or nope rope. [19] “Is that a snek? No. Is hose. Still suspicious.”
birb
A birb is a bird; a round one is a borb. [19] “Birb on the fence. Must bork.”
good boi
Good boi is good boy, DoggoLingo style. Good girls get it too. “Who's a good boi? Me. I am the good boi.”
bamboozle
To trick. As in the fake throw. As in the empty hand.
blep
When the tip of the tongue pokes out and just… stays there.
boop
A gentle tap on the nose. The universal greeting.
bork
A bark. Borf is the small, muffled version.
derp
A goofy, blank, not-all-there face. Lovingly.
doggo
A dog. Specifically, a very good one.
floof
A very fluffy dog. Or the fluff itself.
henlo
Hello, said by a dog who just learned it.
mlem
The quick lick of the nose or lips. Usually after something tasty.
pupper
A puppy, or a small young dog. Maximum cute.
smol
Small, but cuter. Tiny and precious.
snoot
The nose. The boopable part.
sploot
Lying flat on the belly with both back legs stretched out behind.
teefs
Teeth. Especially the little ones on display.
toe beans
The soft pads on a dog's paws. Squishable. Smell like snacks.
zoomies
A sudden burst of wild, happy running, often in circles.

Want to know what your human thinks of you? Take the dog personality quiz together.

Was Hunde über Menschen denken (ein Leitfaden für den Hund)

Die meisten Menschen, die hier landen, wollen wissen, was ihr Hund von ihnen hält. Also haben wir es umgedreht: Diese Seite erklärt Menschen Hunden. Küsschen, Babysprache, der Staubsauger, das morgendliche Verschwinden – alles in Hundesprache entschlüsselt, jeweils mit einem echten Fakt darüber, wie Hunde Menschen sehen und verstehen. Lies es laut vor. Sie werden die Stimme lieben.

Du möchtest wissen, was ein echtes Bellen bedeutet? Das ist genau umgekehrt: Probiere unseren Hundebell-Übersetzer.

FAQ for dogs: everything you wanted to ask about your human

Why does my human leave every morning?

To go to Work, where hoomans get the money for kibble. They come back. Missing them is normal: a dog's bond with their human looks a lot like a child's attachment to a parent. [2]

Does my human know I love them?

Yes. When you two gaze at each other, oxytocin, the bonding hormone, goes up in both of you. [1] They feel it. You feel it. It's mutual.

Why does my human kiss me?

It's how hoomans say "I love you". You probably read the happy voice more than the kiss itself: dogs' brains respond to praise words said in a praising tone. [6]

Do I understand my human?

Better than they think. You can tell their happy face from their angry face, even in a photo. [8] And you follow their pointing better than a chimpanzee. [14]

Does my human think I'm a human?

No, but they think you're family, and you agree. The smell of your own human lights up the reward part of your brain more than any other scent tested, even other dogs. [18]

How do I see my human?

In blues and yellows, mostly: dogs aren't black-and-white, they can make out yellow and blue and mixes of the two. [20] You make up for the rest with your snoot.

What do I think about all day?

Smells, mostly. You have as many as 300 million scent receptors; your human has about 5 million. [13] Also snacks. Also where your human went.

Do I know my name?

Yes, once your human teaches it: say the name, reward the look, repeat. [16] That's why you turn around for it, and also for "cheese".

Is it normal that I miss my human when they're gone?

Totally. Many dogs even learn the signs that mean their human is leaving, like shoes, a coat or keys. [3] If being alone is really hard, your human can ask a vet or trainer for help.

Why does my human talk to me like a baby?

Hoomans can't help it. Puppies react strongly to that squeaky voice; grown-up dogs, it turns out, don't react to it any differently than to normal talk. [5]

Why does the vacuum sound so scary?

Because your ears are better. Adult humans hear up to about 20,000 Hz; you hear roughly 47,000 to 65,000 Hz. [4]

Why does my human squeeze me so tight?

That's a hug, the hooman way of saying they love you. Lots of dogs find it a bit much: in 250 photos of dog hugs, 81% of the dogs showed a sign of stress. [7]

Why does my human leak from the eyes sometimes?

They're crying, which means they're sad. Dogs go to a crying person more than to someone who's just talking or humming. [15] Leaning is the correct response.

Why do I catch my human's yawns?

Yawns are contagious across species: 21 of 29 dogs in one study yawned after watching a person yawn. [12]

Why does my human point at things?

To show you where stuff is, usually the ball. Dogs are better at following pointing than chimpanzees. [14]

Does my human know I feel guilty?

That guilty look shows up more when you're being scolded, whether or not you did it. [17] So it's more "please stop" than "I confess". Scientists still haven't settled whether dogs feel guilt at all. [21]

Why does my human put me in the bath?

To remove your favourite smell, sadly. A rubber mat and a slow start make it less slippery and scary. [10] And afterwards, the zoomies are allowed. [9]

Why do I get the zoomies after the bath?

Zoomies, or FRAPs, often come after something stressful like a bath, as if you're shaking it off. [9] Read the full story on our zoomies page.

Why does my human sneeze at me?

Theirs is usually just a tickle. Yours, during play, means "this is fun": sneezing is a way dogs communicate playfulness. [11]

Does my human know what I mean when I tilt my head?

Not exactly, and neither do scientists. One study found dogs that knew lots of toy names tilted their heads far more when they heard a toy's name. [22]

Why do my paws smell like corn chips?

Normal paw bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Proteus. [23] Your human calls them toe beans and secretly loves the smell.

What does hooman mean?

Hooman is the DoggoLingo word for human: your human. [19]

Can my human understand my barks?

They're trying. Dogs often bark to greet people and other dogs. [24] Your human can practise with our dog bark translator.

What if my human gets lost?

Wear a collar with their phone number engraved on it. If your human ever gets lost, whoever finds you can call them back. The ASPCA says a personalized ID tag is likely the fastest way home, because anyone who finds you can read it, and recommends pairing it with a microchip in case the collar comes off. [25]

How we got this

Not veterinary advice. Last reviewed:

Jede Erklärung wurde von unserem Team aus Spaß in der Stimme eines Hundes verfasst. Die wissenschaftliche Zeile darunter nicht: Sie gibt nur wieder, was in der verlinkten Quelle steht, und wir lesen jede Quelle, bevor wir sie zitieren. Die meisten stammen vom American Kennel Club, der ASPCA und aus begutachteten Studien. Der DoggoLingo-Übersetzer ersetzt Wörter mithilfe einer festen Liste auf Ihrem Gerät; nichts, was Sie tippen, wird irgendwohin gesendet oder gespeichert.

Hunde können nicht lesen. Bitte lesen Sie es ihnen mit einer freundlichen Stimme vor.

Sources

  1. Nagasawa M, Mitsui S, En S, et al. (2015). Positive Oxytocin-Blick-Schleife und die Koevolution der Bindung zwischen Mensch und Hund. Wissenschaft. Supports: Langes gegenseitiges Starren zwischen Hunden und ihren Besitzern steigerte bei beiden das Bindungshormon Oxytocin.
  2. Topál J, Miklósi Á, Csányi V, Dóka A (1998). Bindungsverhalten bei Hunden (Canis familiaris): eine neue Anwendung von Ainsworths Fremde-Situation-Test. Journal für Vergleichende Psychologie. Supports: Das Verhalten von Hunden gegenüber ihren Besitzern im Fremde-Situation-Test ähnelte der Bindung eines Kindes an ein Elternteil.
  3. Trennungsangst. ASPCA. Supports: Hunde können die typischen Anzeichen lernen, dass ihr Halter geht, wie das Anziehen von Schuhen oder einer Jacke und das Einsammeln der Schlüssel.
  4. Warum ist mein Hund geräuschempfindlich?. American Kennel Club. Supports: Erwachsene Menschen hören bis zu etwa 20.000 Hz; Hunde hören ungefähr 47.000 bis 65.000 Hz.
  5. Ben-Aderet T, Gallego-Abenza M, Reby D, Mathevon N (2017). Hundegerechte Ansprache: Warum verwenden wir sie und achten Hunde darauf?. Proceedings der Royal Society B. Supports: Welpen reagierten stark auf hochfrequente, hundebewusste Sprache; erwachsene Hunde reagierten nicht anders darauf als auf normale Sprache.
  6. Andics A, Gábor A, Gácsi M, Faragó T, Szabó D, Miklósi Á (2016). Neuronale Mechanismen der lexikalischen Verarbeitung bei Hunden. Wissenschaft. Supports: Bei Gehirnscans reagierten die Belohnungszentren von Hunden, wenn Lobwörter in einem lobenden Tonfall ausgesprochen wurden; die Wörter oder der Tonfall allein reichten nicht aus.
  7. Sollten Sie Ihren Hund umarmen?. American Kennel Club. Supports: In 250 von Stanley Coren begutachteten Fotos, die Menschen zeigen, die Hunde umarmen, wiesen 81 % der Hunde mindestens ein Stresszeichen auf.
  8. Müller CA, Schmitt K, Barber ALA, Huber L (2015). Hunde können emotionale Ausdrücke in menschlichen Gesichtern unterscheiden. Current Biology. Supports: Hunde lernten, glückliche von wütenden Gesichtern von Menschen auf Fotos zu unterscheiden.
  9. Warum spielt mein Welpe nachts so verrückt? (Zoomies). American Kennel Club. Supports: Zoomies sind Phasen rasender, ungezielter Aktivität (FRAPs): kurze Ausbrüche intensiver Aktivität, oft nach einem stressigen Ereignis wie einem Bad oder nachts; halten Sie den Weg frei von Hindernissen und zerbrechlichen Gegenständen, ein eingezäunter Garten oder Teppich ist sicherer, und das Rasen lässt mit zunehmendem Alter meist nach, wenn die Energie nachlässt.
  10. Hat dein Hund Angst vor dem Baden?. American Kennel Club. Supports: Eine Gummimatte in der Badewanne und eine langsame, schrittweise Gewöhnung helfen einem Hund, der Angst vor dem Baden hat.
  11. Warum niesen Hunde?. American Kennel Club. Supports: Niesen ist eine Art, Verspieltheit auszudrücken.
  12. Joly-Mascheroni RM, Senju A, Shepherd AJ (2008). Hunde stecken menschliches Gähnen. Biologie-Briefe. Supports: 21 von 29 Hunden gähnten, nachdem sie eine gähnende Person gesehen hatten.
  13. Hundefakten. American Kennel Club. Supports: Jede Hundenase ist einzigartig; Hunde haben bis zu 300 Millionen Geruchsrezeptoren, während Menschen etwa 5 Millionen haben; ein Hund ist viermal wahrscheinlicher, das Gähnen einer ihm bekannten Person zu übernehmen.
  14. Hare B, Brown M, Williamson C, Tomasello M (2002). Die Domestizierung sozialer Kognition bei Hunden. Wissenschaft. Supports: Hunde folgen dem Zeigen von Menschen, um verstecktes Futter zu finden, besser als Schimpansen, und sogar Welpen im Alter von wenigen Wochen können das.
  15. Custance D, Mayer J (2012). Empathieähnliches Reagieren von Haushundehunden (Canis familiaris) auf menschlichen Stress. Tierische Kognition. Supports: Hunde näherten sich einer weinenden Person häufiger als einer Person, die sprach oder summte.
  16. Wie Sie Ihrem Hund seinen Namen beibringen. American Kennel Club. Supports: Hunde lernen ihren Namen durch positive Verstärkung: Sagen Sie ihn und belohnen Sie den Blickkontakt mit einem Leckerli oder einem Markerwort.
  17. Horowitz A (2009). Den „schuldigen Blick“ differenzieren: Auffällige Reize bei einem vertrauten Hundeverhalten. Verhaltensprozesse. Supports: Hunde wirkten dann schuldbewusster, wenn ihre Besitzer sie ausschimpften, unabhängig davon, ob sie tatsächlich ungehorsam gewesen waren oder nicht.
  18. Berns GS, Brooks AM, Spivak M (2015). Der Duft des Vertrauten: Eine fMRT-Studie zu den Reaktionen des Hundegestirns auf vertraute und fremde Gerüche von Menschen und Hunden. Verhaltensprozesse. Supports: Der Geruch eines vertrauten Menschen aktivierte den mit Belohnung verknüpften Nucleus caudatus im Hundeghirn stärker als alle anderen getesteten Gerüche.
  19. DoggoLingo. Wikipedia. Supports: DoggoLingo entstand in den 2010er-Jahren und erreichte um 2017 seinen Höhepunkt; es fügt die Endungen -o, -er und -ino hinzu (doggo, pupper, pupperino), verwendet Lautmalereien wie mlem und blep, heckin als Verstärker, doin me a ... für Verben, Dialekt-Schreibweisen und nennt einen Menschen einen hooman, eine Schlange einen snek und einen Vogel einen birb.
  20. Können Hunde Farben sehen?. American Kennel Club. Supports: Hunde sehen nicht nur schwarz-weiß: Sie können Gelb und Blau sowie Kombinationen dieser Farben unterscheiden.
  21. Empfinden Hunde Schuldgefühle?. American Kennel Club. Supports: In Alexandra Horowitz' Studie von 2009 trat der schuldbewusste Blick häufiger auf, wenn Besitzer den Hund ausschimpften, unabhängig davon, ob der Hund sich danebenbenommen hatte oder nicht.
  22. Sommese A, Miklósi Á, Pogány Á, Temesi A, Dror S, Fugazza C (2022). Eine explorative Analyse des Kopfschiefhaltens bei Hunden. Tierische Kognition. Supports: Hunde, die die Namen vieler Spielzeuge gelernt hatten, legten den Kopf beim Hören des Namens eines Spielzeugs weitaus häufiger schief als gewöhnliche Hunde.
  23. Warum riechen die Pfoten meines Hundes nach Fritos?. American Kennel Club. Supports: Der Geruch von Maischips bei Pfoten stammt von gewöhnlichen Bakterien wie Pseudomonas und Proteus.
  24. Warum bellen Hunde einander an?. American Kennel Club. Supports: Hunde bellen oft, wenn sie eine Person oder einen anderen Hund begrüßen.
  25. Positionspapier zur Heimtieridentifikation. ASPCA. Supports: Personalisierte ID-Tags sind wahrscheinlich der schnellste Weg, ein Haustier nach Hause zurückzubringen, da jeder, der das Tier findet, sie lesen kann; Halsbänder können abfallen, daher empfiehlt die ASPCA einen Mikrochip in Kombination mit einem Halsband und einem personalisierten ID-Tag.

Keep exploring