Is ～がる used to speak about animals?


Does the practice of not speaking directly about others' minds, but using ～がる
to be indirect, apply to animals? i.e., would you ever say something like
"犬は外に行きたがっている"? If so, does this vary when talking about your pets -- part of
your household -- as opposed to unfamiliar animals?




The Dictionary of Basic Grammar only states that it can be used with a person
other than the speaker. However, It seems you can use ～がる with animals. I
don't think it matters if the animal is familiar or unfamiliar.

I found
[その犬は中へ入り[外へ出]たがっている.](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%22%E3%81%9D%E3%81%AE%E7%8A%AC%E3%81%AF%E4%B8%AD%E3%81%B8%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8A%5B%E5%A4%96%E3%81%B8%E5%87%BA%5D%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B.%22)
at Weblio.

And here is [an interesting article about why cats seem to want to eat their
dead
owners](https://natgeo.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/17/062700244/?P=2#:%7E:text=%E9%9A%99%E3%81%82%E3%82%89%E3%81%B0%E9%A3%BC%E3%81%84%E4%B8%BB%E3%82%92%E9%A3%9F%E3%81%B9%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B%E3%81%A8%E3%81%84%E3%81%86).

So, it seems like the animal doesn't have to be familiar to you since in the
second link its a news story.




The Dictionary of Basic Grammar only states that it can be used with a person
other than the speaker. However, It seems you can use ～がる with animals. I
don't think it matters if the animal is familiar or unfamiliar.

I found
[その犬は中へ入り[外へ出]たがっている.](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%22%E3%81%9D%E3%81%AE%E7%8A%AC%E3%81%AF%E4%B8%AD%E3%81%B8%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8A%5B%E5%A4%96%E3%81%B8%E5%87%BA%5D%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B.%22)
at Weblio.

And here is [an interesting article about why cats seem to want to eat their
dead
owners](https://natgeo.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/17/062700244/?P=2#:%7E:text=%E9%9A%99%E3%81%82%E3%82%89%E3%81%B0%E9%A3%BC%E3%81%84%E4%B8%BB%E3%82%92%E9%A3%9F%E3%81%B9%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B%E3%81%A8%E3%81%84%E3%81%86).

So, it seems like the animal doesn't have to be familiar to you since in the
second link its a news story.

