I'm guilty as well!

I have always talked to my pets, and I have said things like "Hey, Hello, Come here, Sit down, you wanna go outside/inside, etc..."

I had a long haired chiwawa that probable new at least a hundred words if not more. I mean you could say anything and she would understand!

Off topic a bit-

My favorite thing to do was to get her attention by yelling "Sofe", and her she came running to see what was up. Afterwards I would say "Do you want to bath" and she would run and hide in the cloths basket with her head barely poking out.