Science method

Decody is not pet mind-reading.

Decody turns a short dog or cat video/audio clip into cautious behavior notes. It looks for visible and audible cues, explains uncertainty, and reminds users when a veterinarian or qualified trainer is the safer next step.

Observable cues first

Posture, gaze, ears, tail, movement, vocal pattern, and context matter more than cute guesses.

Reference, not diagnosis

Decody does not diagnose pain, illness, aggression, anxiety disorders, or treatment needs.

Uncertainty is part of the result

When the clip is noisy, short, cropped, or missing context, the result should say so.

What Decody analyzes

For each request, Decody uses only the clip selected by the user, normally up to 10 seconds.

Video cues

Body posture, stillness, approach or avoidance, gaze direction, ear and tail position when visible, and whether the body looks loose or tense.

Audio cues

Pitch, repetition, roughness, rhythm, pauses, and whether a sound resembles request, alert, distress, or social attention patterns.

Context

Species, selected media type, visible trigger, guardian-provided profile notes, and what happened before or after the clip if available.

Missing evidence

Tail out of frame, unclear audio, no before/after context, low light, cropped body, or a single isolated sound lowers confidence.

How a result is produced

  1. The app sends only the selected media clip and basic pet context needed for interpretation.
  2. The backend validates the file type, size, selected clip window, and authenticated request.
  3. The AI receives a constrained prompt that asks for observable signals, possible interpretation, confidence, alternatives, recommended guardian action, and safety notes.
  4. The response is normalized into a fixed result shape before the app shows it.
  5. The user sees a plain-language interpretation with a reminder that the result is for reference only.
A Decody result should never say that an animal “definitely said” a sentence. Subtitle-style lines are a friendly interpretation, not literal speech.

What Decody is allowed to say

Allowed
  • “This may indicate alertness or a request for attention.”
  • “Confidence is limited because the tail is out of frame.”
  • “Possible alternatives are play excitement or mild stress.”
  • “If this is sudden or paired with appetite change, consult a veterinarian.”
Not allowed
  • “Your dog literally said this sentence.”
  • “This proves aggression, pain, or illness.”
  • “No vet visit is needed.”
  • “The animal is guilty, jealous, or manipulative” without observable evidence.

Evidence references

Decody uses animal behavior research as reference material for safer interpretation. These papers do not make pet translation exact.

DOG-BARK-ACOUSTIC-2006Pongrácz et al., Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Dog bark acoustic parameters can carry emotional or situational information, but barks are not exact words. DOI

DOG-BARK-ETHOLOGY-2009Yin & McCowan, The Veterinary Journal

Barking should be interpreted with context such as demand, alarm, or separation-like situations. DOI

CAT-MEOW-NICASTRO-2003Nicastro & Owren, Journal of Comparative Psychology

Cat vocalizations can be classified by listeners only with limits. Individual cats and context matter. DOI

CAT-VISUAL-SIGNALS-2021Brown & Bradshaw, Animals

Cat visual signals such as head, tail, ears, distance, and posture are more useful when interpreted together. DOI

Safety limits

Decody is a consumer interpretation tool. It can help a guardian slow down and look at context, but it cannot examine the animal, run medical tests, or replace professional care.