Researchers Say Dogs Respond Better To High-Pitched Voice

BOSTON (CBS) - Do you speak to your dog like you do to a baby? Well, a new study finds that's probably the best way to communicate with your pooch.

Researchers at the University of York put dogs in rooms with people saying different types of phrases and using two different types of speech.

They found that the dogs preferred to spend time with the people who spoke using a high-pitched emotional voice saying phrases that specifically relate to dogs.

They liken it to how we change our pitch and our words when we're talking to a baby versus talking to another adult. So it turns out saying "are you a good boy?" or "do you want to go for a walk?" at a higher octave with excitement really is an effective way to get your dog's attention.