SuzieQ1960
Forums Enthusiast
Aonghus knows me as Mommy, but he knows my two youngest daughters as Jennie and Mimi (or Mary), he also knows grandma and grandpa plus all his canine friends by name.
Do they understand more than we think?
- Thread starter labgirl
- Start date
Aonghus knows me as Mommy, but he knows my two youngest daughters as Jennie and Mimi (or Mary), he also knows grandma and grandpa plus all his canine friends by name.
Chris
Premium Member
Oh, and mine definitely know "SQUIRREL!" 
Bailey's Mom
Forums Enthusiast
I am amazed at how many words Bailey seems to know. He definitly recognizes family names. When he hears certain names of people are coming he reacts very differently than when he hears other people are coming. Just so people don't think its a reaction of how I feel, Bailey has different levels of excitement over who is visiting than I do. While we share some favoritie people, he has his own favorites as well. Other people I definitly am excited about, Bailey's not as interested. He also recognizes behaviors. DH has learned not to take out the suit cases when Bailey is around to see them.
Our Sheltie angel, Honey, knew the difference between the words, "ball," "baby," and "bone." I thought that was amazing since they are all so similar. She had a very large vocabulary that was never taught to her or re-enforced at all. She just picked them up. I was always impressed that I could say ,"go ask Dad" or "where's Dad" and she'd go find my husband or show me where he was. I am tryng to have Ellie make that connection to my husband.
So far Ellie knows the usual questions that have "walk" and "ride" in them and knows "where's your baby?" She also knows, "no" so much so that using it in an ordinary conversation causes her to some distress because she can't figure out what she is doing wrong. You can see it in her body language she is upset. This is also a funny thing for her to pick up on because for that reason we have always used either "Hey!" or a grunt noise (very attractive) for a verbal negative marker.
So far Ellie knows the usual questions that have "walk" and "ride" in them and knows "where's your baby?" She also knows, "no" so much so that using it in an ordinary conversation causes her to some distress because she can't figure out what she is doing wrong. You can see it in her body language she is upset. This is also a funny thing for her to pick up on because for that reason we have always used either "Hey!" or a grunt noise (very attractive) for a verbal negative marker.
BarbV
Forums Celebrity
They're smart little critters. Chelsea used to have a sizeable vocabulary, but her favourite words were RUN, and DRIVE.
Not only do they listen for words, or sounds, they'll watch our body language. Chelsea used to know when we were going for a drive. I'd be around home, and THINKING of going for a drive, or a run, and Chelsea would give a Yip of Glee, and go running for the door. I had said Nothing, but, she knew. She KNEW! It took me a long time to recognize HOW she knew, but I got it. Eventually.
If I stood up from the computer, or was walking around home, and tucked my shirt in, 'Yippie! We're going somewhere!', and she'd go tearing for the door. If I didn't, we weren't going anywhere.
You are so right....they definitely know the cues! The boys know the difference between weekdays and weekends. And they know that if its weekend, it means "cottage time". As soon as they see me packing my overnight bag, they start to circle at the door!
They have even figured out the different sounds that my office chair makes. A creak caused by shifting my body, causes no reaction. A creak caused by me getting up from my chair means I'm going someplace, and it might be interesting...better follow!
And a creak in the chair on a weekday morning after 10 minutes being on my computer means that Mom's now going to work, which means "Cookie" Yippee!
wjo53
Forums Enthusiast
Yeah, they know those sounds. Both my girls have gone to work with me. Both of them knew the sounds of the computer shutting down. April will listen for the sound of a USB flash drive being removed, and then for the Windows shutdown sounds. She's ready to go before I am.
labgirl
Forums Sage
I'm enjoying all these stories about our clever dogs.
Cadbury knows my name and if someone says "where's Sophie?" he goes hunting for me. He also knows breakfast and dinner (well he would, wouldn't he
)
Cadbury knows my name and if someone says "where's Sophie?" he goes hunting for me. He also knows breakfast and dinner (well he would, wouldn't he
)Our three shelties know that whe we say ups a daisy they have to step up into our arms so we can put them on the show table.
If I put the show trolley out, they stand at the door ready to go and the other two dogs retire to their places in the house.
Lifting my car keys mean all 5 dogs go to the front door for their walk.
If either my wife or I get hurt Diesel will come and sit by us and just put her head on you and just give comfort.
Pippa knows that if i say 'pillow dog' she gets onto the pillow and goes to sleep even if my head is on the pillow.
I get up at 6.06 every week day so at 6.00 Pippa decides to groom me just to help me prepare for the day, on Saturday and Sunday I am ignored and allowed to sleep in.
If I put the show trolley out, they stand at the door ready to go and the other two dogs retire to their places in the house.
Lifting my car keys mean all 5 dogs go to the front door for their walk.
If either my wife or I get hurt Diesel will come and sit by us and just put her head on you and just give comfort.
Pippa knows that if i say 'pillow dog' she gets onto the pillow and goes to sleep even if my head is on the pillow.
I get up at 6.06 every week day so at 6.00 Pippa decides to groom me just to help me prepare for the day, on Saturday and Sunday I am ignored and allowed to sleep in.
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
My dogs know the sound of the computer shutting down too. Before it finally shuts off all 3 are there ready to go.
One of Justice's jobs is getting my shoes for me. I usually say " where are my shoes" and Justice runs and gets them . One vacation to my parents house, my mom got tired of all the shoes laying around the livingroom and threw them all into a big pile. I said "where are my shoes" to none one in particular and Justice jumps up off the couch, runs to the pile of shoes ,digs though them , finds one of my shoes and brings it to me. My mom is floored. She says lucky guess. So I ask him to get the other shoe and he did the same thing.
Same dog who when I was teaching him the left finish, I said heel and he jumped up out of front, did a perfect left finish and ended in perfect heel position. I never had a chance to lure him into position and it was the first time I asked him to finish ever. I just shugged "works for me" and praised him big time. He did know heel position from learning to heel but the leap in logic to the finish was mind blowing.