Always like hearing other adult males talking sweet to their dogs. Dogs may not understand every word, but they know some of them and can understand the tone of your voice. Doggie's eye brows shifted when he heard "I love you" - he definitely understood that.

Note: When my dog starts to look like he's getting nauseous in his daddy's truck, I put his window down a bit to give him some fresh air. This often prevents the hurl.