From a pleasant “good morning” to asking if they’re hungry, pet parents communicate verbally with their pets on a daily basis. We ask our pooches if they want to go for a walk, we tell them when they’ve done well or badly, and we inquire after their well-being perhaps more often than we do our human friends. Other people often get weirded out by this behavior, inquiring after your well-being and explaining how unhealthy, odd, or pointless such communication is between pet and owner. What these criticizers don’t realize, however, is that your act of apparent craziness is actually a sign of intelligence (1). It’s called anthropomorphizing.

Next time your friends make fun of you for having conversations with your pet (or your car, house, pajamas, etc.), don’t get offended and don’t feel dumb! Instead, explain how it’s a sign of your intelligence and your brain’s creativity. While you do, toss your fur baby his favorite Trudog treat and tell him he’s a good boy!