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?   

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

At first it took high value treats during grooming but now I just give a few treats (not high value).  Haley will also walk right up the ramp into his bath tub when I say "bath".  I always give him a good treat for doing that.

[Pat and Traveler]

Oh, envy!  I had to drag Trav to the bathroom last time I wanted to bathe him in the tub.  I don't know what he finds so awful about it--I'm the one who should have to be dragged, since I get in with him and look like a drowned rat by the end of the bath!

[Camilla and Darwin]

"excuse me" that is just cool. 

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

It really does amaze me just how much they do understand.  I think that is probably because I spend way to much time with them.  They know Go to your room (which is where they stay when we are gone and sleep), Let's go snuggle (go to our bed at bedtime for some snuggle time), GO used in any form elicits excitement, bed, Dad, Mom, kitty cat, my favorite is Mamaw as that gets them so excited.  For awhile it was the only way I could get them to come in from the outside was to say "mamaw's here".  The one that amazes me the most though is I don't even have to say anything, but go to the cookie cabinet and open a particular treat jar and they automatically,  from where ever they are in the house, go to their room.  I can even try and be really really quiet when I do it and they somehow hear me and go to their room. 

[Pat and Traveler]

Lucy, what a great vocabulary your dogs have!  Funny that they'll come for 'mamaw's here', and can track the sound of that treat jar.  I can just picture a run-away dood stopping in his tracks for 'mamaw's here!'  Or you trotting down the street opening and closing the treat jar...:) 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Your Traveler is one smart Dood :) Now, that he knows the word vacuum the next step is getting him to do it for you..LOL!! I love the "dead dogs don't way their tails," and hope you get that on video someday.  Here is a funny story about Fudge and Vern....they even understand when I say, "there goes Pat trying to get another Hokum!" LOL

Fudge is so in tune with me, I swear she knows what I am going to do before I even do it. I find myself spelling words sometimes with both the dogs.

[Pat and Traveler]

Now Laurie, that was just mean!  LOL  I suppose I could try tying the vacuum to Trav then walking around saying 'squirrel.'  He'd probably drag the vacuum along while searching...  I've never quite figured out how Trav knows when I'm going to take him with me when I go out and when I'm going to leave him home.  I do something that he picks up, and when I'm not going to take him he just lies on the bed looking sad. 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Pat, I think you are on to a great idea there. You could make millions with your squirrel vacuum idea :)  Just remember who your friends are when your ship comes in....LOL!!

[Carol and Banjo]

LOL....I love the wagging tail on the dead dog!   Trav is so cute AND smart!    Banjo knows the name of all his toys and certain foods that he loves.   Most recently I've noticed that GO is a biggie.   Banjo can appear to be fast asleep at my feet and I'll be having a conversation with DH and say something like "I have to go  to the store" or "Can I go too" and at the word GO Banjo jumps up and stands there looking at me full of anticipation ready to GO.   It's so darned cute that now I'm finding myself avoiding the use of the word or spelling it as I hate to let him down. LOL.

[Pat and Traveler]

Yes, Carol--'go' is a dangerous word!  I don't think Trav distinguishes his toys by name.  He will look all around for a toy if I tell him 'find the fox,' but I think he might bring any stuffed toy.  Hmmmm...gotta try this.  I know if I use the word 'walk' when Trav is asleep, he'll jump right up.  They have some kind of sleep alert for certain words...LOL

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I keep saying one day i will write a list of the words Cooper knows and count how many they are

[Pat and Traveler]

Kaytlin, you should do this!  I'll bet the list would be amazing.