How tuned in are these dogs?

[BG and Gavin]

Reading Jennifer's post about Jack's health rising and falling with hers inspired me to pose this question.  In reality, I have been thinking about this quite a bit.  A couple of situations arose recently where Gavin has shown an amazing amount of perception.  I will give you some examples, but would also like to hear your opinion and your examples of times when your doodle has shown their perceptive side.

1. We went to a outdoor party, on the water, with thirty or more people there.  Gavin was off leash as were two other dogs and if you know Gavin, he loves to play with other dogs more than anything.  There was a man at the party that has Parkinsons and was trembling terribly.  After a cursory walk about, Gavin went straight to this man and laid at his feet, ignoring the other guests and the dogs.  He stayed with him for 20 minutes as the elderly man stroked him and spoke to him and amazingly his trembling lessened.  After that time Gavin went on about his business, playing with the dogs, playing in the water and visiting with the other guests.

2. My mother's best friend lost her husband.  My parents and the window came to visit here a week after the funeral and the widow understandably was still quite shaken.  Gavin has met her a dozen times and only shows regular interest in her.  Not this time.  When they arrived, Gavin glued himself to her side and remained with her the entire half hour visit.

3. Recently when I cough or sneeze (ragweed season ugh!) Gavin has come right over and sat at me feet.

4. There is an elderly couple that we often stop and chat with on our walks (she even has treats she keeps in her house especially for "her boy Gavin.").  When Gavin sees them outside I let go of his leash and let him run up their driveway to greet.  My friend walking with me yesterday cringed as she thought Gavin was going to mow the lady down.  She could not believe it when he got half way up the drive he geared right down to a slow walk and sat down right at her side despite that fact that she was making high pitched noises and doing all the things that usually make him jump up.

So...over to you...

[BG and Gavin]

Wow, good for Peri. It must have been very frightening at the time.  Glad it was not a stroke!

[Jennifer and Jack]

There has been many, many times when Jack has been the deciding factor in me going to the hospital. Having a history of being an emergency room nurse, I usually avoid it at all costs... usually I only go when I need to go on life support because I can't breathe anymore with what I have at home..

 

Jack for the past year when I am getting worse will go insane.. He will walk circles around me, he NEVER does that but he will just keep walking circles and jump on me and bark, and he will not stop not even for peanut butter. Since I know he is able to tell the last two times, I went to the hospital way sooner then I would have and both times I was able to not be intubated...

 

I don't know what it is that I put off to him to make him know but I will be dog gone if the sucker doesn't know, He just does.. and two times now I was able to prevent it from going further just by going sooner...

 

 

 

[Bonnie and Kona]

Incredible. I'm sorry your husband has migraines, they can be so debilitating, but so glad it wasn't a stroke. Good for Peri helping you decide to go to the hospital.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Yeah, I'm with Lisa...so far it appears that Tara is just here to have fun! LOL!

 

I love the Gavin stories! He is one sensitive dood! And the other stories too! Amazing!

 

[BG and Gavin]

There is something to be said for FUN too Ricki!

[BG and Gavin]

 I just watched a bit of the documentary that Donna recommended and it talked about how the right side of our face is the most expressive and over time human gaze has developed in such a way that when looking into others faces we gaze middle to left (thus looking at the other human's right side).  Dogs so the same thing when looking at human faces.  They do not display this behaviour when looking at another dog nor when they look at inanimate objects.  When your dog looks at you do you notice he gazes up and to the left?

Here is a link to a feed of this documentary if anyone wants to check it out:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfsqnc_dogs-decoded-1-3_shortfilms

p.s. thanks Donna!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Gavin sounds like a beautiful soul. My daughter has a chronic illness that confines her to bed most of the time.When she is particularly bad, Kona will lie on her bed with his head on her. It is soo sweet. Most of the time he stays on the floor rather than on the bed. Kona loves babies and goes quietly up to strollers or lays down when little ones are around as close as he can to them. He is 85 pounds but incredibly gentle.

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

I sometimes cough at night or clear my throat. If I am not awake Zach wakes me up and then lies next me until I stop coughing or clearing my throat. He usually keeps a paw across my chest or stomach (which actually does not help with breathing but my I don't have the heart to tell him that). When all is well he goes back to the bottom of the bed to sleep. He started doing this about a month ago when he started sleeping consistently in the bed. I find this so interesting, my airway is just a little reactive, at most I need a glass of water, but he is definately tuned in to me. He is just a little over 4 months,

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

awe. Zachary is cute.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Well, Sophie Bear is clueless as the world revolves around her, or so she thinks. She's also not a particularly cuddly dog, she either wants to play or be left alone, there is no in between. I have noticed that she is a little more gentle around babies and small kids though. But there is this elderly lady in my building that Sophie would have no trouble jumping on if I let her.

 

I think Winston is much more sensitive, but I haven't had him around long enough to know if he really is in tune with me or others. That being said, Sophie's trainer did an assessemnt on him and said he'd make an excellent therapy dog.

[Stella]

Where we used to live a group of us used to go to public places to practice our obediance training - outside schools, parking lots etc.  We began practicing outside a residential home for the elderly so one girls dad could watch through the window.  We were invited inside to the residents lounge one day so that all the residents could see us praciticing.  My 75lb LD who was only about 18 months old and quite boistrous back then did something that totally amazed me -  he went around the room gently greeting everyone there by gently laying his head on their lap to be stroked.  I couldn't believe how gentle he was!

 

If I fall asleep on the couch (something I do quite a lot!!), both dogs will come over at times and stand in front of me, right by my face - my husband thinks they are checking I am still breathing!  They just stand there for a few seconds and then go and lie down and relax again.

[Bonnie and Kona]

so very dear