How much do they REALLY understand?

• 04-03-2008 9:37 AM

  In reply to sl2crmeg

  glenmar Joined on 09-10-2007 The Florida Panhandle Posts 13,483 Points 405

  Re: How much do they REALLY understand? Reply Contact I thought of another one when we were out walking last night.  I use "lets go" when we are walking a fair amount and if we are in a spot in the campground where they still have to be on their lines, if someone takes off like a shot, I'll call out "easy" and they slow down.  No one has ever hit the end of the line and gotten a jolt, so I'm not sure how they "get" that easy means that "oh, mom still has the line".  I've told them sometimes that I've got the line, or that they're running out of line or to slow down, but EASY is a whole lot quicker to say and they've translated that very nicely. Living in such close quarters, and the forced one on one walks, is really showing me a lot about these critters I share my cramped space with!  And I find it amazing how much smarter they are than I ever thought they were!  And their capacity for the english language is really quite surprising.  I've always known that they understand far more than they are given credit for, but wow! A house without fur is not a home. Glenda ,

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• 04-03-2008 10:09 AM

  In reply to glenmar

  Calinisima Joined on 12-05-2007 AB-Canada Posts 2,266 Points 360

  Re: How much do they REALLY understand? Reply Contact Great stories! I talk to Thor a lot!! He knows when I'm in a hurry, or when I have all the time to walk him. Last year I had a labyrinthitis episode and I couldn't walk Thor for a week, I had some neighbours coming to pick him up for a walk. But, some days I could see Thor wanting desperately to pee and then I took him out. We lived in the first floor of the building, so we had to take the elevator, walk out of the garden area and then Thor could pee. He was so gentle and he walked "despacito" as I ask him to. He actually walked glued to my side to make me feel I could grab him if I lose my balance. He is great!

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• 04-03-2008 10:55 AM

  In reply to Calinisima

  TheDogHouseBCMPD Joined on 11-06-2007 Maryland Posts 1,875 Points 290

  Re: How much do they REALLY understand? Reply Contact A perfect example of this happened yesterday morning.  DH put the dogs away and I got in the shower to get ready for work.  When I got out of the shower Mystic was walking around the bedroom....not where she was supposed to be.  Turns out DH had forgot to latch the bottom of the crate door.  Mystic watched him close the door and saw that the bottom wasn't latched.  She pushed and squeezed and wormed her way out.  In the process she moved her crate halfway across the floor.  She has *never* tried that with both latches closed, if she had she would have moved the crate and it hasn't been moved.  So somehow she understood that the bottom latch being open ment that she could squeeze out.  I put her back in but pretty much expected her to be out when DH got home, or to atleast have moved herself and crate across the room trying to get out.  Nope, the crate hadn't budged.  I latched the bottom latch and she knew it wouldn't open so she didn't try.  I was pretty amazed that she figure it out so easily. ~Steph "Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

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• 04-03-2008 12:28 PM

  In reply to glenmar

  sophiebean Joined on 12-29-2007 Posts 67 Points 15

  Re: How much do they REALLY understand? Reply Contact I don't think Bailey understands English, but she picks up things very quickly.  She can also sense exactly when I'm going to feed her or take her out (this doesn't happen at the same time every day or after a series of routine events).  She always seems to know when it's time to be cuddly and when it's time to hang out on her bed with her toys which is nice. Command/word-wise, she knows all the normal sit/wait/down/paw/other paw/roll over/leave it/back up/go to your bed, etc.  She also has picked up on more casual commands off-leash.  For example, when choosing a trail we don't normally go down, we say "Bailey, this way!" and point in the right direction.  She will stop in her tracks and run toward the way I point.  She also knows "Bailey, too far!" which I call when she's about 20 feet away and she will very reliably stop, turn around, and wait for me to get closer. Looking back at what I just wrote, I guess we've taught her a lot in 3 months!

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