SAN DIEGO -- Some people say they can talk to the animals, but what if your pet could talk back?

There is a new product claiming to be the "world's first dog translator." It's called the Bow-Lingual, made by Japan-based Takara. The device promises to analyze your dog's barks to determine how he or she is feeling.

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10News Tests Dog Translator

A small wireless microphone attaches to your dog's collar and a small screen displays behavior information.

When your dog barks, the sound is beamed from the collar microphone to the screen and matched to a database. The sound is analyzed and transformed into words and illustrated on the screen. There are about 200 applicable phrases.

Along with being a translator, the Bow-Lingual also comes with a body language translation mode, training tips, medical references and a home-alone mode, which records the barks while you're gone so you can analyze them later.

Laurie Roberts tested the Bow-Lingual with her dog Miga for one week.

Roberts said the device was "right on" about 90 percent of the time.

She said she appreciated the home-alone feature -- a log of Miga's barks while she was away.

"I learned that she seems to be frustrated a lot," Roberts said.

Dennis Fetko, known in San Diego as Dr. Dog, is an expert when in animal behavior and training.

Fetko tested the Bow-Lingual device with his dog, Vixen, for two weeks.

"Yes, it does what it claims to do to an extraordinarily precise degree."

Roberts and Fetko said they enjoyed using the translator and agreed it would be most useful in a new relationship.

"This is kind of an instant introduction," Fetko said.

The Bow-Lingual is being sold at stores including Sharper Image, Neiman Marcus catalog, JCPenney catalog and PetSmart. The retail price is about $100.

If you have a product you would like to see tested, contact 10News reporter Leonard Villarreal.

P.O. Box 85347
San Diego, CA 92186

E-mail: leonard_villarreal@kgtv.com