This lesson is suitable for intermediate-level learners. After listening, test your knowledge with our quiz.
Learning notes
Different phrases to use when talking about dogs:
- What breed is he?
- My dog is quite vocal when he gets excited.
- He’s a Cavoodle/Labrador/Poodle.
- My dog is a rescue pup.
- She’s more of a tail-wagger than a barker.
- My dog is a bit skittish around the traffic.
- This is a great spot for him to let off some steam.
- I only let Cleo run off leash here.
- My dog is still learning recall.
Colloquial expressions:
To be skittish means to be jumpy and nervous.
To let off some steam means to release stress or emotions, usually through physical activity or talking about whatever is stressful.
Vocabulary:
To dog sit is to take care of a dog while its owners are away.
A therapy dog is a dog that has been trained to provide affection, comfort and support to people in need.
A rescue pup is a dog that has been saved from difficult or unsafe conditions.
When we talk about animals, a breed means a specific kind of that animal.
A crossbreed is a mix of two breeds.
A howl is a long, loud cry from a dog.
If your dog is a tail-wagger, they move their tail a lot! This is a sign that they're often happy or excited.
An enclosed park is a park that is surrounded by a fence.
A leash is a long strap or cord used for controlling and guiding dogs when they are outside.
Recall refers to the ability to have your dog come to you when called.
Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)
SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways throughout Australia.
Hi, Josipa here. In a few weeks, my friends are travelling to Japan, and they’ve entrusted me with a very special task – they’ve asked me to dog sit - take care of - their lovely little furry ball called Coco while they’re away.
Coco isn’t just any pup; he’s truly a member of the family, showered with love and care as deeply as any child. As a therapy dog, he uses his warmth and affection to help and comfort people who need it. And, as much as I can’t wait to cuddle up with Coco, I have to say, this is a big responsibility, and I’m both excited and a bit nervous.
So, I was thinking, how about we practise phrases that I can use when taking Coco to the park so that I can talk to other dog owners? Dog owners are so sociable – and they love talking about dogs!
Imagine this: Claire and her dog Rover are in the park. She's throwing a ball, and Rover is chasing it, super excited. Suddenly, another dog runs up and goes straight for Rover’s ball. Looks like Rover is not happy about sharing. The other dog gets scared and runs off. Now, that dog’s owner is walking over to Claire. I wonder what they will say to each other.
Allan
Hey, I’ve noticed your dog before. He’s got quite the howl! What breed is he?
Claire
Oh yeah, Rover’s quite vocal when he gets excited. He’s a Cavoodle. What’s your dog’s name?
Allan
She’s Cleo, a rescue pup. She’s more of a tail-wagger than a barker. Do you come here often?
Claire
Yes. Rover is a bit skittish around the traffic so, this is a great spot for him to let off some steam.
Allan
Yeah, this enclosed park is perfect for that. I only let Cleo run off leash here. She's still learning recall.
I'm so glad we're working on this topic today, because, I don't know about you, but sometimes when I get into conversations in English about topics I’m not so familiar with, I feel both excited to be using English but also a bit overwhelmed. There is so much to learn.
But hey, we all know that language learning is a journey not a destination, even for experts, because we all meet new situations where we have to learn what people do or say.
So, whether you have a dog or not, there's so much we can learn from this conversation in the dog park. Allan first said:
He’s got quite the howl! What breed is he?
When we talk about animals, a breed means a specific kind of that animal. Each breed has its own special traits, that is, characteristics that get passed down through the generations.
These traits can be things we can see, like how big they are, what colour their fur is, and so on. Or they can be things we can't see, like how they act or what they're good at doing.
For example, a Labrador Retriever is known for being friendly and good with families, while a Greyhound is recognised for its incredible speed.
Claire’s dog, Rover, is also good at something because Allan noticed that,
He’s got quite the howl!
A howl is a long, loud cry, usually from a wolf, but dogs howl, too especially when they want to express themselves—whether they’re really happy, or anxious, or just responding to something that is happening.
Ever heard one? I think when Coco comes to stay with me, we might try howling together. It could be fun.
Rover’s quite vocal when he gets excited.
If a dog is vocal, they often make a noise, either barking, howling, or whining. Basically, a dog who is vocal is a dog who likes to ‘talk’.
Claire also said,
He’s a Cavoodle.
A Cavoodle is a crossbreed, that is, a mix of two breeds — in this case, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle. They are very common here and were first bred in Australia in the late 90s.
Allan then said that his dog, Cleo, is a rescue pup. A rescue pup is a dog that has been saved from difficult or unsafe conditions and put in a special home for dogs. Often, they have been abandoned or are no longer wanted by their previous owners.
Do you remember how Allan described Cleo? He said,
She’s more of a tail-wagger than a barker!
If your dog is a tail-wagger, they move their tail a lot! It's a dog's way of showing they’re feeling happy, a bit like when humans smile.
Claire mentioned that she often takes her dog to this park because it is enclosed, that is surrounded by a fence. She goes there with Rover several times a week because,
Rover is a bit skittish around the traffic.
To be skittish means to get jump or nervous very easily. Claire also said,
This is a great spot for him to let off some steam.
And to let off some steam means to release stress or emotions, usually through physical activity or talking about whatever it is that is causing stress.
Just like dogs, humans also need to let off some steam sometimes. My favourite way to do it is by singing loudly under a long, hot shower. And yours?
Let’s continue, Allan the said,
I only let Cleo run off leash here.
To run off leash means not to be attached to the leash, which is the long strap or cord used for controlling and guiding dogs when they are outside. When she is off leash, Cleo can run about freely wherever she wants.
So, if you need to keep your dog close because they might run away, you probably want to keep them on a leash. Allan also said,
She's still learning recall.
A recall refers to the ability to have your dog come to you when called. I hope Coco has a good recall or otherwise I’ll have to keep him leashed all the time.
A big thank you to our educational consultant, Professor Lynda Yates, and our guest Ana Rosa Ortiz Lozano.
Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire.
