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Animal Communicator – Can They Talk to Your Dog?

Communicating with your dog or any other pet you might have sounds great, doesn’t it?

People who are seeking advice from so-called animal communicators are often in a vulnerable position.

This ranges from people wanting to talk to their dog with behavioral issues, seemingly depressed dogs or owners who recently lost or are about to lose their beloved dog.

But what about animal communication – is it real, is it a total scam or do all of us (animal communicator included) know it’s a scam but should act like it’s not to comfort the people who claim they’ve really gained something from it?

If you’re wondering about the last bit, I do know people who have absolutely no monetary or any other incentive to encourage animal communication and yet they claim that communicating with their deceased animal worked and gave them closure.

Keep in mind that I’m not affiliated with any animal communicator or their courses and thus I have absolutely no incentive to sell you something or be anything other than objective.

How Does Animal Communication Work?

Every animal communicator has a different process but it can be done via phone or Skype.

Most of the time, the professional animal communicator will ask you questions about your dog and request a picture.

You can go on to ask any specific questions about your dog and some talk to the dog directly, others relay to you what they think the dog is saying.

If you want to spot any bad eggs (as there definitely are some like in any other profession, apart from the fact if it works at all) then you should beware of animal communicators that just copy what you’re saying and wrap it up differently.

Besides mirroring, giving generic information is another easy tell.

For example, if all you get is a narrow set of information about how your dog is happy, says exactly what you want and the person otherwise provides no verifiable information he or she couldn’t have known otherwise, it’s probably not a real animal communicator.

That’s also the biggest issue for most people who distrust this method of communicating with your dog – it’s not verifiable.

Sure, there are people who claim it helped but it’s not at all scientifically proven. But then again, there are many things humanity has yet to understand.

Does it make sense to try communicating with our pets this way or are words not even necessary?

Dogue de Bordeaux in front of black background, with three different expressions on his face
Photo by pfluegler-photo on Shutterstock

Fact is, that this is a service that targets vulnerable people and there pros and cons to this service.

Pros of animal communication:

  • A healing session can do a lot of good if you’re susceptible to the psychic and paranormal in this world
  • If you have a few extra bucks to spend, it probably won’t hurt you as it’s in your dog communicator’s interest to leave you with a positive experience
  • Sometimes the issue is your personal inner distress in which case this service acts a therapy (one can argue that it shouldn’t be disguised as animal communication though)

Seeking advice from professionals to help you get through a hard time is definitely nothing anybody should be ashamed of and if you’re aware of what to expect, it can be the right choice for you.

However, there are also reasons against hiring an animal communicator or cases in which the real problem might be buried under psychic readings.

Cons of animal communication:

  • Potentially damaging your financials if many sessions are required
  • Harm the relationship with your beloved pet, depending on what is said and how you interpret it
  • Dismiss emotional distress, behavioral issues, or physical pain instead of training your dog or consulting a vet

Especially the time some animal communicators spend on connecting grieving owners with their lost pets is time that could otherwise be used for searching for your dog.

In other cases, the readings might create false hope that the dog is happy, healthy, and about to return.

It’s especially dangerous if your dog has behavioral issues and you try to solve them via telepathy instead of actual training.

I’ve heard of cases where dogs don’t like the other dog in the household, a situation that can quickly escalate if not treated properly.

It’s any professional’s responsibility to tell you when they think something’s physically wrong with your dog and that you should see a vet.

However, not all people are that honest and might misuse your trust.

If you’re susceptible to things like animal communication and spending that extra money won’t hurt, then I’d say you can go for it. After all, it can be a pleasant experience like any other.

Beware of any scammers trying to sell you hour after hour in a desperate attempt to connect with your (deceased) pet.

Animal Communication Courses and Books

Many animal communicators not only provide private sessions with clients and their animals but also speak publicly, publish books or offer courses.

Some professionals even go so far as to not offer private sessions at all anymore.

Speaking engagements and informational material can reach so much more people at once and is easy to reproduce and distribute, as well as scalable.

Beware of those who claim they’re professionals in the field and never even worked with clients and their dogs or other animals.

Courses range from extremely expensive ones from “experts” to very cheap ones like those you find on Udemy for $15 if they’re on sale.

As you can see, the reviews are overwhelmingly positive for lots of these courses with more than 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Judging whether or not these reviews are real is up to you. Fact is, that people are enrolling in these courses and surely there are people who’ve benefitted from some of these courses.

Animal Communication Cost

Prices for animal communicators range widely, with most costing around $90 for a 30 minute phone session or Email limited to 5 questions.

With in-person options, it’s important to differentiate between the option where the dog communicator comes into your house (in-home) and where you have to drive to their headquarter, maybe even across the US or any other country.

In-home sessions can range from $250-$450 for 60 minutes, while the in-person sessions at their location can be way cheaper with prices ranging from $125-250 per 60 minute session.

Boxer tilting his head.
Photo by Mary Swift on Shutterstock

Keep in mind that these are just general ranges and every animal communicator can charge more or less as it’s not really regulated. Always ask about the pricing beforehand.

The list below is neither an endorsement nor any other form of promotion of any animal communicator, it’s merely a list to give you an overview about the industry pricing.

Animal CommunicatorCost per session
Sally Jenkins$95 (phone, 30 min)
Sharon Loy$450 (60 min)
Dr. Monica Diedrich$400 (in-home) / $125 (Skype/E-Mail)
Susan Deren$105 (30 min)
Laura Stinchfield$275 (60 min) / $325 (phone, 60 min)
Wagging Tales$90 (phone, 30min) / $125 (live, 30 min)

Is There a Way to Communicate With Dogs?

Nearly every dog owner can probably confirm that they definitely communicate with their dog on a daily basis.

I don’t mean just reading canine body language. I mean the part where we imagine our dog has voices and speak for them.

I mean the part where we just “know” what our dog is thinking and we know how our dog will react to certain situations, people, and so on.

Can we really communicate with our dogs outside the realm of body language and facial expressions though?

Many people argue that rescued dogs get that they’ve finally arrived in a new home and that they’re grateful.

Emotions in dogs are more limited in terms of range compared to humans and their memory or knowledge of previous circumstances isn’t as developed.

However, sometimes dogs can definitely feel safe and sound with their owners which is a sign of a developed bond.

Putting this bond into numbers is not doable though and thus we should just cherish the thought that our pooch is grateful for the doggy cake he received on his birthday.

If you’re interested in more like this, check out my article about whether or not your dog knows his name.

Bottom line is that dogs definitely understand our tone of voices and certain words, they can even learn sentences, but they’re not creative in terms of meaning. They just do what they’re conditioned to do.

Your posture, voice, and behavior make you easy to read for your dog. That’s why instincts can kick in with every confident, well-trained – but not protection-trained – pet dog if danger arises.

Dogs are smarter than we often give them credit for.

Conclusion

In case you’re absolutely set on getting a psychic reading of your dog, make sure to do your research beforehand, clarify what’s in the package you’re buying and how much it really costs.

If there are serious behavioral or medical issues, consult a dog behaviorist or a vet, not an animal communicator.

If you’re trying to cope with your grief, explore all the options available and then go with the ones most suitable for you.

Disclaimer: This blog post does not substitute veterinary attention and does not intend to do so. I am not a veterinarian or pet nutritionist. If your dog shows any sign of illness, call your vet.

About Danielle

Equipped with 5+ years of expertise as a Rottweiler owner, I partner with licensed veterinarians and trainers to share research-backed and actionable advice for you and your furry friend.

Helen

Wednesday 10th of February 2021

A great article indeed. As a teaching animal communicator, I cannot over emphasise enough the importance of all you mention here. Particularly the psychological aspect of causing more issues for the those who love their pets. Thank you and have 'pinned' the post :)

Danielle

Wednesday 10th of February 2021

Thanks so much for your feedback Helen, I highly appreciate it!