Dogs can virtually monopolize conversations, say researchers at UC Davis. In a recent study of pet owners who walked their dogs regularly in certain neighborhoods, the researchers found that all the people studied talked to their pets, including asking them questions, according to Human-Animal Program Director Lynette Hart and graduate student John Rogers. When other people encountered these dog owners, the passersby consistently spent about a quarter of their conversations centered on the pet -- even if the hound was left at home. The owner included the dog in four out of five sentences if the dog was there but in less than half the sentences if the dog was absent. The results are not that surprising, Hart concedes, but the study helps document the extent and nature of the companionship. "It tells you relationships with animals are similar to those with people, from the standpoint of having someone to talk to," she says. She presented the results of this study as part of a comprehensive review of the effects of dog ownership on human behavior earlier this month at a Cambridge, England, conference on dog behavior. Hart also discussed other aspects of dog ownership, including health benefits and pet selection.