Red and Connie Brooks of Battenkill Books. Most of the most popular books on dogs have the dogs speaking to us in mystical language, are recounting how wonderful we are for rescuing their piteous selves, or are telling us how to meet them across that colorful bridge for all eternity. One day I want to write a book about what I believe is the extraordinary dialogue between animals like dogs and women.

Many of the dog lovers I meet are absolutely convinced that they know what their dogs are thinking and feeling – the animal world is a gathering place for know-it-alls. They are less interested in what the dogs are doing than in what they need the dogs to be doing (separation anxiety and grieving projections come to mind).  I am happy to tell you that much of the time, I have no idea what my dogs are thinking and I have met very few people who have convinced me that they do either.

A new dog is an opportunity for me to take another step in awareness, both in training and in my understanding of how animals communicate with people. This has become my interest, something I have been studying for years with my dogs, cats, donkeys, sheep, even chickens and began exploring in “New Work Of Dogs.” Animal people love to cite studies, but I found early on that there are studies supporting every conceivable point of view about animal communications, thousands happily and authoritatively contradicting one another.

We believe, I think, what we need to believe.

Red is the most powerful chick magnet I have seen since Lenore was a puppy. He has been here a week and he has girlfriends all over Washington County. There are a dozen places I go already where Red’s mostly female friends are disappointed if he isn’t with me.

I have been paying close attention to this and see a number of things that are revealing to me. When Red enters a space, he almost immediately looks for a woman to connect with. If there is one female and a dozen men, he will go to the woman. The women are always quicker to react to Red than most men. They are more comfortable revealing their emotional selves, and this is Red’s gift – he picks up on it.

They smile, or react verbally: “what a sweet dog,” or “hey there,” or “cute puppy.” Their voices go up and so do Red’s ears. Many women lean towards him, kneel down to his level, bend down. Few men do that. Women show emotion to him, and he responds to emotion very distinctly. Although he is powerfully bonded to me, his relationship with me is different. He shows affection, as dogs do in their packs, by being close to me. But he only occasionally puts his head on my knee or seeks a physical response.

Women are drawn to the way Red presents himself. He appears to be sweet, vulnerable. He makes eye contact (as he does with sheep) and holds it. His hears go back, he lowers his head. This signals people that he is gentle, a bit needy, affectionate.

I think many women – Maria comes to mind – intuitively know how to communicate with animals, even if they sometimes aren’t sure what the animals are saying back. I think women and men both tend to emotionalize animals – this is epidemic in our culture – and think dogs are saying the same things to them that they are saying to the dogs. I don’t think so. I’ve never thought so. But what are they saying? What does Red want from these people, especially these women?

I think Red is a creature of intense and powerful instinct. Like Izzy, he responds to voice, to emotion, to attention and need. This week, I was struck again by how distinct women’s emotions are as compared to men, and how Red sees a kind of safety and connection in that.  I suspect he has found coherence and safety in women like Karen Thompson, not in men. If I pick up a stick for any reason, and watch him cower and run, I get yet another lesson in this. Men can sometimes be a plague on the earth. Red almost seems to be asking me in his own language, beyond my comprehension: Is this what you want? Am I safe here? Is this how it works? Clearly, he is seeking reinforcement. Safety keeps coming to mind.

If I’m not yet sure what the specifics of the dialogue are, I am getting closer all the time. I know what women are saying to Red. I am not confident about what he is saying back, or in what language or form.