JadeW

Is it true that in nations with melodious languages such as French and Spanish dogs are taught commands in German?

Dave Null, Claremont, CA USA

• I think your question is an indirect reference to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. When he was in charge of the shop - and the "shop" was pretty much all of western Europe - he was obliged to be something of a polyglot. He did have certain biases, however. Hence his famous remark - "I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse."

  Robert del Valle, Detroit USA

• Charles V was a Spaniard - his command of German is reported to being rather rudimentary. That might explain why he's talking to his dogs in Geman - some sharp commands are just enough.

  R. Wittig, Freiberg Germany

• No. But a good many French dogs know English commands, a product of the export trade from England,some foreign buyers expecting the puppy to arrive part trained. I once found a French couple with a 'disobedient' young dog who wouldn't sit. He sat instantly when I told him "Ssssit!" .And our own poodle is 'bilingual' because we had a French au pair who was privately teaching him French commands when we were teaching him English ones.

  Christopher Nutt, Cambridge Cambridge

• No.

  Mike Phelan, Stroud England

• Languages like French and Spanish are only melodious to us as humans; dogs probably think we all sound the same.

  John Bennett, Glasgow Scotland

• Yes. Here in Spain it's fairly usual to train dogs using German commands; at least, police dogs and others that are trained professionally. I've also seen lion tamers use German. Plenty of owners use also the English "sit" as the Spanish equivalent "siéntate" is far too long.

  Alejandro Pareja, Cuenca, Spain