Dogs and Language

[mbc1963]

I have had my new dog just about two months now. She came out of a hoarding case in the south; the owner had 50 dogs on the property when he was evicted and animal control took them.

So, i don't think she had a background particularly rich in human interaction or language and commands. She was with a good foster home for several weeks before I got her, but even in that home she was among many foster dogs.

 

In the 8 weeks I've had her, I'm AMAZED at how much she has come to understand - especially the normal daily language (verbal and body) interactions humans have with their dogs. I wanted to write this as a marker, to take note of the incredibly steep learning curve she's had. From knowing almost no human interaction, she now knows and very clearly understands;

 

Sit

Lie down

Stay

Go for a walk

Go out in the yard

Supper

Ride in the car

Get in the back (car)

Raccoon (toy)

Blue (toy)

Give

Come

Let's go

Jacques (the bird we're watching)

Kitty

Bird

Squirrel

Up

Bone

Kennel up

Zoomies

 

Almost more than the actual words, though, I've been so amazed at the quick ability to learn "the ropes:" the patterns of our daily lives. I take a shower before bed every night, and then have Cricket kennel up. It took her maybe only 3 or 4 days before she would run to the crate when she heard me get out of the shower. (She's anticipating treats.) The morning pattern is greetings/cuddles on the couch/go out in the yard/get breakfast. Again, 3 or 4 reps and she had the whole pattern down. Shoes out? Better run to the front door because we're going somewhere. She's running into the store? I can jump in the front seat of the car, but I'd better jump back into the rear when I hear the "unlock" beeps. Going for a walk? We'd better go to the convenience store where they give dog treats, and we'd better stop again at Brian's house to get more treats.

 

I've always known that dogs have an amazing ability to learn and understand us and our patterns. My old boy Buddy had a vocabulary of hundreds. I guess I've never fully processed how very fast their brains can acquire this vocabulary and understanding of how we operate.

 

Go dogs!

[GentleLake]

[gcv-border]

 

I can jump in the front seat of the car, but I'd better jump back into the rear when I hear the "unlock" beeps. Going for a walk? We'd better go to the convenience store where they give dog treats, and we'd better stop again at Brian's gs!

She is one smart girlie. Be careful she doesn't take over the world.

 

My dog does exactly the same when he is riding in the truck. We crate him when he is in the car, but in the truck, we folded up the back seat and put a bed on the floor. He lies on the bed while the truck is in motion, but if we get out of the truck, he jumps into the driver's seat and sits and watches. One day we were in a restaurant, sitting at a table near a large window with a clear view of the truck. The waitress noticed that he was sitting in the front seat. My husband told me to push the remote to unlock the truck. Torque immediately got up and jumped in the back because he obviously thought we were about to open the door and get in the truck (even though we were clearly not walking towards the truck). The waitress got the biggest kick out of that.

[diane allen]

I think you need the bumper sticker I saw awhile back:

 

"Your honor student is a pawn in my border collie's quest for global domination."

 

Just out of curiosity - how is your girlie?

 

diane

[mbc1963]

 

Just out of curiosity - how is your girlie?

 

 

She's good, thanks for asking. The original age estimate was 5 years, but based on her interactions with my sister's dogs, zoomie speed and occasional bouts of frustrated yapping when she doesn't get her way, I'm guessing she's more like 1 or 2. She was definitely a teenage mother. She's starting to be willing to meet other dogs face-to-face, as long as they're not tugging to get at her. As far as I can tell, she never reacts aggressively to dogs - she just backs away as much as she can.

 

It's a whole nother world, having a dog who can be bumped into and touched by dogs and people without being reactive. It's going to take me some time to get used to this more normal way of existing.

[Sue R]

These dogs' grasp of language, vocabulary, and intent never ceases to amaze me. Yes, sometimes one of mine seems absolutely non-comprehending but is that really so, or is the dog just determined or eternally hopeful?

 

One day Ed was going to walk the dogs. At the normal time (right after they ate) Celt came running to me (I am the default dog-walker) and I simply spoke to him like I would to a child. "Celt, I'm not taking you for a walk tonight. You will have to go with Daddy." He turned right around and ran to Ed.

 

I didn't speak as if it were a command but just a statement of fact but he knew just what I was saying. And this is the dog that will not go with Ed if I am outside (I have to stay in the house until Ed and the dogs walk out of sight or Celt will not leave me to walk with Ed and the others).

 

He also knows just about every word you can use pertaining to taking a shower and going to bed. He also knows what we are saying when we use an initial or spell out certain things. Of course, that's learning by repetition but they are scary smart when they want to be.

[Maralynn]

She's good, thanks for asking. The original age estimate was 5 years, but based on her interactions with my sister's dogs, zoomie speed and occasional bouts of frustrated yapping when she doesn't get her way, I'm guessing she's more like 1 or 2. She was definitely a teenage mother. She's starting to be willing to meet other dogs face-to-face, as long as they're not tugging to get at her. As far as I can tell, she never reacts aggressively to dogs - she just backs away as much as she can.

It's a whole nother world, having a dog who can be bumped into and touched by dogs and people without being reactive. It's going to take me some time to get used to this more normal way of existing.

Oh gosh, I totally get the "whole nother world" thing. I was at the vet last week with Kolt. In a waiting room with three other dogs and he was just happy. Very excited, but happy and not tense and anxious

[Gideon's girl]

I'm constantly surprised by what mine understand. At chore time, my husband takes each dog for a walk. Each day, he trades off who gets to go first. One day when it was Gideon's turn to go first, Micah was giving my husband a whatfor because Micah wanted to go first. I said "But Micah, you have to put away the sheep first." He went straight to the back door. When he was done putting away the sheep, which is at the back edge of our property, I said "OK, we're done. Now you can go for your walk." He ran to the gate that my husband would be coming to(which is not the one we normally go in and out of) and waited in a very patient sit until my husband came to get him.