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?   

[Pat and Traveler]

Andrea, you must have some interesting conversations with two doods!  I would be doing a head tilt at chipie.  Is that a treat?

[Pat and Traveler]

Thanks for explaining!  I'll pay attention now and try to figure out the words I don't recognize.  :)

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Ive never really thought of that! its the same in the uk - cossy, mossie, bikkie :)  My sister moved to Australia not long after I moved to Canada. many words and phrases are the same!

[Pat and Traveler]

Oh, I love that head tilt!  It must be hilarious to see Hattie looking for the cat.  Trav lies down and looks pathetic if I say 'grooming.'  He doesn't like it at all! 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think it's amazing that Traveler knows the phrase about dead dogs don't wag their tails and that he can control the wagging. Luca knows many phrases too. He knows look and sometimes even can follow a pointing finger. He often can go to where I tell him something is, like upstairs. Both dogs know "It's crate time", said not as a command at all.

[F, Calla & Luca]

That is an interesting article. Someone's dog, maybe Linda's Webber is in the Duke study.

[Pat and Traveler]

Love how they can follow a pointing finger!  What a smartie Luca is, knowing where to look for something!  I should work on 'crate' for Trav, but actually he very rarely goes into it, except for naps.

[Christine & Camus]

I've started to spell words at times, you would think I had a toddler (human) instead of a dog.  Camus knows a lot of words and understands sentences such as go pick up your toy, which I tell him to do at work!

[Pat and Traveler]

Christine, I'll bet you have to spell w-a-l-k.  :)   I wish Trav knew how to pick up a toy when told!  He prefers to grab one and run.

[Christine & Camus]

Yes, walk, play, park, are a few of the words I now spell and although he will get into the tub for a bath, if he hears the word bath he hides.  It's funny because it is very hard for an 82 lb. doodle to  hide.

[Pat and Traveler]

I understand the 'big dog trying to hide!'  Trav tries to hide beside the toilet, or other places where his rear end sticks out.  So funny!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

JD gets into a corner of the sectional sofa when he hears me opening one of his pill bottles, and tries to make himself very small. I guess he thinks I won't see an 85 lb dog there among the throw pillows.