DR. WALLACE: My sister thinks our family dog can understand the English language! She says this because our dog will react the same way every time she says certain words or phrases.

For example, she will take out the leash from our laundry room and walk into the living room and "ask" our dog if he wants to go on a walk with her, and every single time he'll jump up and run right over to her feet so that she can attach the leash to his collar.

Our dog will also "shake hands" on command and he will even sit and bark when we ask him to. Of course, she slips him a treat when he is successful in following her requests. Could it be that some dogs do understand the English language, even though they can't speak a word of it back to us? — Our Dog Is Smart, via email

OUR DOG IS SMART: Most canines react well to visual signals such as walking into a room with a leash in hand! But beyond the visual signals, dogs understand a tone of voice much better than they understand actual words. Therefore, a dog's focus is usually on the rhythm and pitch of your voice as it sends signals to your dog about what is going on.

This is why in times of crisis when someone screams or shrieks, a dog will immediately spring into action in an attempt to protect an owner or the entire family home.

HE VANISHED INTO THIN AIR!

DR. WALLACE: This summer, I had a nice boyfriend for about a month, but in the last week he has seemingly vanished into thin air! He told me that he was visiting some cousins in a town very near ours, and I met him at a music event in our city.

We spent three great weeks hanging out, laughing and enjoying good times together, but then with no warning he stopped responding to my telephone calls and texts.

I don't even know exactly where he lives, but he said it was a small town in western Maryland. I live in Missouri, so it's not like I can hop in the car and go looking for him even though I'm 17 and already have my valid driver's license.

He did try to get physical with me the last week we were together and fortunately I resisted his advances. I know I would feel even worse if we had become intimate and then he vanished soon thereafter.

Do you think it's worth trying to search for him, or should I just forget all about this brief summertime romance? — Slightly Confused, via email

SLIGHTLY CONFUSED: It's quite likely he's seen your calls and texts come into his telephone and he's either already out of your town or about to leave soon.

My advice is to move on and let things go from here. If for some reason he lost his phone, he knows your hometown and he could find a way to make contact with you if he wanted to.

My instincts say that he only wanted to hang out with you while he was in town and now he's moved on once and for all. Let it go!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Caleb Fisher at Unsplash