What do your dogs know?

[Stacy]

I was just sitting here and my eyes were itchy. I reached into the drawer and pulled out some eye drops and put them in. Katie just sat there and watched me. She didn't even try to help! Then I threw the eye drops back in and pulled out some doggy ear drops. Not something I do routinely, but Katie's ears were a little red. I hadn't even looked at her (but I did think of her) and she took one look at that bottle and headed for the hills. 

Sometimes I think we really don't give our dogs enough credit for how in tune with our lives they are. How did she know? And what else does she know? We might all be in trouble if she could talk. 

Are there things that your dogs know that surprise you? 

[Amy and Annabelle]

Yes, she can tell when we are getting ready to leave the house before we really do anything that indicates we are. She can sense it and goes to hide. She knows she is either going to be seatbelted in the car with us or locked up in the kitchen. She doesn't really like either one.

[Stacy]

Mine totally know when I'm getting ready to leave. I put on my shoes. It's the only time I do that, so it's an obvious cue. But sometimes there are things they know that really amaze me! 

[Amy and Annabelle]

Putting on shoes doesn't bother her, she actually gets all excited, because 9 times out of 10 we just go outside. We get the mail, walk out to the compost pile, walk around the yard. She loves all that. We live in the country, so it is a trek out to the mail box. She gets to sniff all the deer and bunny poop along the way. Somehow she senses us leaving some other way. I haven't figured it out yet. She does get upset when we pull out the luggage for a getaway. I think she still has memories of her week in a kennel. That's how that started out. She doesn't understand that we will never do that to her again. If she can't go, we don't go. 

[BG and Gavin]

I pull out the cotton pads to take my nail polish off...no reaction.

i pull out the cotton pads to clean his ears...he leaves the room.

[Stacy]

That is so funny! I wonder how he knows. Do they really read body language that well and there's something about your actions that he picks up on? Or does he know his ears need cleaning? Or can dogs read our minds just a little? I think there is so much about the brain that we don't know. Sometimes I think I know things in advance. Just little things. And then I decide that I'm just making it up. Not to be "out there," but there really are things that we don't know about how the brain works. It's a mystery.

[BG and Gavin]

Totally agree!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

If I even think brush, Ned is gone in the wind.....

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Murph is the same way.  He used to take off when he saw me head for the closet where I keep the brush and comb.  To fool him I now store the treats in the same place....that creates a bit of a dilemma for him.  He doesn't know whether to run or wag his tail.

[BG and Gavin]

This is very funny Jane and Genius of you!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Hahahaha!  Very tricky, Jane.

[Stacy]

It's like they just know! Sometimes I wonder who is the smart one in this relationship. The girls sleep whenever and wherever they want. They have all their toys. Their food is delivered in a timely fashion... I go to work. I do all the cooking (ha!) and cleaning, and pay all the bills while the girls lounge. Who is supposed the be the superior species? I think I would happily trade them lives!

[DonMarie and Picco]

They are so tuned into all our movements/routines, ones we didn't even know we have!  They watch us constantly - those shifty eyes! 

Yea, he slumps down when I bring out cotton balls, brushes etc. I have to prep the bath the night before, set out his towels, bathmat shampoos because he'll hide when I do this. Then act casual in the morning before bath to lure him in. 

Picco knows the difference between hiking clothes (very excited & barking), walking shoes (perks up) and everyday clothes (I'll just lay here while you go about your business).