Dog language is strange and unknowable to human ears. One bark may be a request to go outside while another, seemingly identical one, may be an attempt to warn about an intruder hiding in the upstairs closet with a knife. While trying to decode this strange, kibble-scented tongue is probably impossible, dogs will happily learn key words from any of our languages we put in front of them.
This is all to say that a bunch of dogs were taking Yiddish lessons in Central Park yesterday.
ABC7's Eyewitness News has footage of this program in action, which is recommended viewing for anyone who would like to see dogs running around on a sunny day or, in one case, wearing a doggy-sized kerchief. Held by The Workmen’s Circle—a non-profit that ABC writes “offers the largest Yiddish program in the world”—and trainer Miguel Rodriguez, the event saw attendees teaching their pups Yiddish commands, including “sit” and “stay.”