A dog’s manual of wireless connections

No silicon brain can replace the sensory “devices” known as dogs. They use no Wi-Fi, 5G or Bluetooth, yet they know from far away when their person is arriving. They recognize a particular key ring, a familiar footstep and the sound of one car engine among thousands.

Dogs also seem to sense departure and deep sadness beneath the surface. They do not erase grief or explain it. They move closer, rest their heads against us or simply stay nearby, making the same pain less lonely.

Their loyalty appears in small, almost absurd acts: waiting outside a bathroom, remaining tied to a tree outside a supermarket, or walking someone to bed before returning to their own place. They lift an ear when they hear their name and tilt their heads when we speak, as if the sound of our voice matters beyond the words.

The article sees poetry in these behaviors, from yawning when we yawn to settling in the last ray of afternoon sun. While sleeping, a dog may place one paw on a leg or press its back against a body, as if physical contact could preserve the bond through dreams. Even a changed route cannot necessarily confuse a dog’s invisible, built-in GPS.

Spanish still has no single word for mourning a dog and losing all these small wonders. The feeling can be described with several terms, but not yet captured in one word with the precision and brevity of a bark.