Does your dood understand what you're saying?

[Pat and Traveler]

I've heard some amazing things about dogs understanding what we're saying.  Aside from the commands we've worked on, they sure seem to pick up other things along the way!  One of Trav's cutest is what he does after he 'plays dead.'  We taught him to lie on his side when we say "Bang, bang--dead dog!'  That's cute.  But he usually continues to wag his tail when he's supposed to be dead--silly dood!  However, now he's learned to hold his tail still if I say, "Dead dogs don't wag their tails," which just cracks me up.

We spell some things so he won't get too excited--walk and ball, for example.  He's picked up some words that I didn't realize he was learning.  "Antler" is one.  I was keeping an antler up on the bookcase for a while.  I didn't want it lost in the yard or collected by his brother.  Much to my surprise, he started looking up at the bookcase when I said 'antler.'  He knows exactly where I keep it.  He learned 'vacuum' somewhere along the line.  He loves to bark at the vacuum and, well, I let him have his fun with it.  Now all I have to do is mutter about having to vacuum, and he trots off to the closet where it's kept.  He understands 'kitty' and 'look' and 'who's that?' and 'squirrel' and some others I'm not thinking of right now.  I put something in his bowl the other day, and when he came in from outside I told him he should look in his bowl, and he went straight to it for the snack.

Has your dog picked up any surprising or unexpected words, or body language clues?   

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

I have a two story house and downstairs there is a bathroom with a tub that I use for doodle baths.  Today I was upstairs with Webber and Seda and I asked Webber if he wanted a bath.  When I got downstairs, Webber was sitting in the tub and Seda was hiding behind the couch.  Now, tell me that Doodles don't understand English!!

[Pat and Traveler]

Linda, that's hilarious!  Both dogs know bath, and have such different opinions of it!  I'll bet you were amazed to find them in their chosen 'bath' locations. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Love it. Linda, is Webber in the Duke study that Andrea referenced above?

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Webber has been in three different studies at Duke, and Seda in one.  It is at the Duke Canine Cognition Center.  Webber did what they " expected " and Seda didn't.  She hasn't gotten a call back!  Doris, Webber loves the water, no matter where it is, he wants in it.  Seda...not so much.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I knew we had some graduate school doodles : )

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

That is too funny! Webber must love his baths, and Seda...uh, not so much!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Eventually, they learn the spelling, too. It's all just sounds associated with an action or an object. That's why routine is so important to a dog, it's vital to their learning and understanding the world.  

My ex and I used to spell in front of our dog,  as in "Did you take the D-O-G  O-U-T?" because if she heard the words, she'd go to the back door and expect to go outside.

One night, he said "Did you take the D-O-G  O-U-T?", and the dog got up and went to the back door. My DXH looked at me in amazement and exclaimed "This dog can spell!"

 

[Christine & Camus]

Oh no! What will I do when he learns the spelling?

[Pat and Traveler]

Maybe we'll have to write notes.  :)

[Pat and Traveler]

Wow, Karen!  I just never dreamed a dog might learn the word when it was spelled.  I'm hoping Trav doesn't get into the spelling thing.  :)

[Shannon and Finn]

We used to say, "wanna go for a walk" eventually our dog would bounce around anytime we said you, wanna, go or for a...no matter the context or missing rest of the phrase. "Good morning" always led to being smothered with kisses and he knew everyone's names. It will be fun to see what Finn picks up on as he grows.

[Pat and Traveler]

Awwww...it's sweet that your dog knew everybody's names.  I think Trav would react to 'wanna...' without adding the part about going for a walk.  I'll have to test this.