The animal has to do Shevita; it has to rest on Shabbat. We continue with the halacha (Jewish law). Some people can train animals. We’re talking about having an animal do a melacha (labor) for a person on Shabbat, or having the animal rest on Shabbat. Siman Resh Mem Vav (section 246) in Shulchan Aruch, 246. There are some animals that you can train for certain things. For example, imagine you need to turn on the light, turn off the light, turn on the air conditioning, or send an email. I don’t know if that would work for email. But basically, sometimes people can train animals. Would it be okay to make a sign to the animal? Or if you do something, the animal understands that you want to turn on the light or turn off the light. Would that be okay on Shabbat or not? So there are a few questions in this question. Believe it or not, it’s not so simple.
Hacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul has a teshuva (responsum) on this. He goes in the direction of analyzing what is called Amira Le Baal Chayim. Amira Le Akum, Amira Le Baal Chayim. If you say something to an animal, is it the same as saying something to a goy (non-Jew)? Amira (saying), he says yes, because the question, the Amira, is about the person. You should not be saying something to the goy. It’s the same thing: you should not motion to the animal; saying something to the animal is the problem of Daber Davar (speak a word).
But it’s a complex halacha: if that’s considered Shlichut (agency), is it Shlichut of the Baal Chayim or not? If the Baal Chayim is following the person, is that considered Shlichut or not? But the main point here is that if it’s your animal, it’s your dog, then you have the problem of Shevitat Behemah (resting of an animal) on Shabbat. If your dog is doing a melacha, then it goes on you. Especially in the case of the dog on its own, that’s something else. If the melacha involves a dog in relation to the person, then it’s an Issur (prohibition) Shevitat Behemah. And therefore, Hacham Ben Tzion says the Poskim (halachic authorities) will agree that this is actually more chamur (severe) than a goy. Because you don’t have a chiyuv (obligation) for the goy to do Shevita, to be Shovet on Shabbat, to rest on Shabbat. But you do have a chiyuv to have your animal be Shovet on Shabbat, and because of that, it would be an Issur.
Forget about the whole Sugya (Talmudic discussion), Amira no Amira, Shlichut no Shlichut. Really, there’s a problem of having the animal do a melacha for you, because of the Etzem Melacha (essence of labor), Atah u'vehemtecha (you and your animal), because it says u'vehemtecha (and your animal); therefore, it would be an Issur.