Not nutty at all. My pets have been family since entering the house. I've always spoken to them. Congratulate them for doing good. Or just hi's, hello's, how's my baby's, my baby's a good boy's, I love you's, you want scratches'/treats. Just simple stuff, yeah, not a full blown conversation, like he's human. Sometimes he "talks" back. Little noises, grunting, a whine. I see that as talking. And I read some once that a dog can understand a high pitched voice better, like the higher voice you speak to a baby in. And I speak to Kipper like that, and he jumps in my lap if I'm sitting on the couch, or jump up and lay near my chest and put his head on my arm as I scratch him and I talk to him and he talks back.
