People have had a friend in dogs for an estimated 30,000 years. So maybe we can return the favor.
Many mammals share a gene called FOXP2. But humans have a very unique, mutated form of this gene. It contributes much to our ability to speak in a complex way.
Scientists put this snippet into the embryos of mice, and were quite startled by the result: “chatty” mice. Not only did the mice chatter at each other a lot, but they had a greater vocal range than did normal mice.
It is believed that a smart dog can understand about 300 human words. Imagine if a dog could speak, with context, even a dozen words? Our whole relationship would change.
Imagine our joy when our dog could tell us just a few, critical things. Perhaps just some distinct one-syllable word contractions, but in context.
Just if they could tell us when they were in pain, we could take much suffering out of their lives.
Yet at the same time, their lifespan is short, so we could have the heartbreaking experience of saying goodbye to them, and they to us.
Could someone put down their 'friend', if they said NO? My life is way too complicated as it is without that.