My dog had a remarkable understanding of different tones in my voice. It was quite simple with him. He could discern phrases like “let’s go for a walk,” “you’re staying home,” and “food?”

The first sentence would make him incredibly excited, as expected. He would dash around, back and forth, making eye contact with me, clearly conveying his anticipation for a walk. If it was me who would be going for a walk with him, he would inform my grandpa. Unfortunately, when my grandpa passed away, there was no one else at home for him to share the exciting news with, as it was just the two of us.

The second sentence didn’t elicit the same level of enthusiasm from him. When my mom had her early morning to afternoon shifts (starting at 4 am or something similar, with her working at night basically), our dog would excitedly follow her, assuming he would be going for a walk. However, my mom would break the news to him, saying, “No, you’re staying home right now and going for a walk with Berit.” Then he would casually walk back to his napping spot, accepting the situation.

As for the third sentence, whenever he displayed signs of needing something, particularly when my mom and I were both at home, I would simply ask him if he was hungry and wanted food. His gaze would be fixed on me whenever he felt a bit hungry. Mentioning food to him would instantly get him excited, and we would head off to fill his bowl. He would eat, I would go back to my tasks, and later he would come to my room, wag his tail, and then leave again, likely to let me know he enjoyed his meal.

The interesting thing is that after my grandpa passed away, our dog came to me for food and always went to my mom for walks. When my grandpa was still alive, our dog would lick his face whenever he wanted something, regardless of whether it was food or a walk (when my mom didn’t notice his “I need a walk” look).

He was an adorable dog, and I miss him dearly. He was my best friend for 11 years. (I hope he isn’t too upset with me for getting a cat after his passing.) But this is how he was, and his unique understanding and communication with each family member were truly special.