My Dog Is Exceptional!!! - Page 5

gloriajean · ‎03-10-2010

Sammy still hasn't forgotten to play the piano and has for 10 years! Not everyday, but he shows off when we have company!!

dex · ‎03-09-2010

If dogs don't have memories how is it that they remember us even when we have been gone all day but hate the postal worker?How do they remember the sound of the fridge opening means food or that sitting at the door will bring their human to open it?The stories that everyone here have posted show that animals have a memory in my mind.

Lucibee · ‎03-19-2010

My dog knows when a bag crinkles that some kind of food is available.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

On 2/27/2015 dreamytoo said:
Oh poppycock! I have to laugh at these supposed studies done sometimes...are they done by people who actually have had dogs? Spent any time with dogs? Grown up with multiple dogs?

My first dog alone, not family dog growing up...really resented when I went back to working full time in an office when my son was a toddler. I left when it was still dark in the morning, came home when it was dark (it was winter). She didn't like it at all and let me know every day for that first week she left me a present by the front door...each day she was scolded for it. The last day of the week I came home to a present in that same spot but this time it had cat litter all over it. Yep she gave me that look..."see told ya mom it was that darn cat all the time". I told her "nice try, but you forgot to clean the litter off of it".

Another dog, my husky coyote mix was hit by a car chasing a rabbit across the road...as I was holding her while they stitched her up at the Vet I said hopefully she will learn her lesson. The Vet and techs replied...no she will never remember this and continue to take off into the street. Until she died at the age of almost 16 she sat on my feet every time a car approached. She never forgot!

I have an epileptic husky ...the first few grand mal seizures that my golden witnessed she went into full attack mode on him. Seizures required all hands on deck at my house for quite some time. Now when he has a seizure the golden sits with him, her paw gently on his shoulder and waits until he comes out of it. She is also my warning when he is going to have a seizure...she knows and lets me know.

If they have no memory, no long term memory, etc...how could these things have happened?

My Vet told me a story about his dog, a Doberman Pincer. One morning, he couldn't find his sunglasses, He looked all over, accusing his wife and kids of having done something with them. Finally, he found his dog sitting on the sofa, so he moved her and found his glasses which his dog was hiding so that he couldn't leave.

sfnative · ‎03-10-2010

In the postion from which I retired not too long ago, half of the time my boss was a verterinarian (which was bizarre, given my position). We had a very interesting conversation one holiday luncheon about animals that we all had and left alone during the day. Most in attendance had dogs. Myself and I belive one other had cats. In any case, the vet said that we should leave our televisions on or play a favorite DVD or tape while we're gone: whether it's to work or just out on an errand. He cited studies published in vet journals at the time. It worked for us, as I noticed far fewer scratches on our female, which meant our male Burmese was more docile while we were gone.

RainCityGirl · ‎12-16-2012

Don't know about dogs. I am a cat person. However, I suspect that with animals, there are a lot of things we don't know and probably will never know. They do have varying degrees of intelligence. One of my cats does not learn things as fast as the other one. It took Sheldon forever to figure out the cat door. I had to open it for him all the time, while Lennie knew immediately what to do with it. Finally Sheldon learned how to use it going one direction, but for some reason was afraid to use it going the other direction. Now, he slams through it as if the swinging door wasn't even there. Lennie understands what some of my words mean, but Sheldon only understands the sound of the treat bag being opened. His raison d'etre is food of any kind. Lennie has a wider perspective on life. My cat Riley, RIP, didn't like it when I went to the neighbors' house. He would come to their carport, bellow like crazy till I came out, and then he would lead me home, looking back over his shoulder to make sure I was following. He also knew the meaning of some words. They are all so different, just like people. I don't believe any of the so called studies because I don't think anyone can really know what's going on in a dog's or cat's minds.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

On 3/1/2015 sfnative said:
In the postion from which I retired not too long ago, half of the time my boss was a verterinarian (which was bizarre, given my position). We had a very interesting conversation one holiday luncheon about animals that we all had and left alone during the day. Most in attendance had dogs. Myself and I belive one other had cats. In any case, the vet said that we should leave our televisions on or play a favorite DVD or tape while we're gone: whether it's to work or just out on an errand. He cited studies published in vet journals at the time. It worked for us, as I noticed far fewer scratches on our female, which meant our male Burmese was more docile while we were gone.

I always have two dogs, never just one, because being pack animals, they need the companionship of another dog, and in this way they don't become lonely, bored and destructive. I always had many cats, in addition, so they had company whether they wanted it or not. I am home most of the time, but when I do go out, I don't feel guilty as I know the pups have each other.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

On 3/1/2015 RainCityGirl said:
Don't know about dogs. I am a cat person. However, I suspect that with animals, there are a lot of things we don't know and probably will never know. They do have varying degrees of intelligence. One of my cats does not learn things as fast as the other one. It took Sheldon forever to figure out the cat door. I had to open it for him all the time, while Lennie knew immediately what to do with it. Finally Sheldon learned how to use it going one direction, but for some reason was afraid to use it going the other direction. Now, he slams through it as if the swinging door wasn't even there. Lennie understands what some of my words mean, but Sheldon only understands the sound of the treat bag being opened. His raison d'etre is food of any kind. Lennie has a wider perspective on life. My cat Riley, RIP, didn't like it when I went to the neighbors' house. He would come to their carport, bellow like crazy till I came out, and then he would lead me home, looking back over his shoulder to make sure I was following. He also knew the meaning of some words. They are all so different, just like people. I don't believe any of the so called studies because I don't think anyone can really know what's going on in a dog's or cat's minds.

"My cat Riley, RIP, didn't like it when I went to the neighbors' house. He would come to their carport, bellow like crazy till I came out, and then he would lead me home, looking back over his shoulder to make sure I was following." ${#emotions_dlg.laugh}$

Years ago, I went on a two week vacation, and had someone come to my home every day to feed the cats. The night we came home, once in bed, one of my cats sat very near my face and chewed me out, very loudly, between the loudest purrs I have every heard. ${#emotions_dlg.laugh}$

chlema · ‎05-22-2010

On 2/27/2015 colliegirls said:
I do not and will not ever believe that dogs have no memory. Many of our rescues remembered what scared them in their early lives and were afraid of it all their lives. If they didn't remember past a few minutes, how do they remember their owners who go off to service and return months or years later? My collie remembers the crazy dog who lives down the street and creeps along every time we approach its house. Not to mention that they know and expect to walk and eat before work and after work each day. How do lost dogs walk miles for days to find their home again? The list goes on and on, I think they have the memory of elephants!!!

We adopted a rescue dog who was about 5 years old. They suspected she was abused because she didn't like men very much. A few weeks after bringing her home I was walking through the room holding a small curtain rod and she ran to a corner and cowered. After 8 years with us she is no longer afraid. However, when I walk her if a tall thin man happens to be walking across the street she will stand still and never take her eyes off him and though she only weighs 40 lbs I am unable to get her to resume her walk until he has gone by. This makes me believe she does remember her first 5 years of life.

TaxyLady · ‎05-26-2011

On 3/1/2015 mousiegirl said:
On 2/27/2015 dreamytoo said:
Oh poppycock! I have to laugh at these supposed studies done sometimes...are they done by people who actually have had dogs? Spent any time with dogs? Grown up with multiple dogs?

My first dog alone, not family dog growing up...really resented when I went back to working full time in an office when my son was a toddler. I left when it was still dark in the morning, came home when it was dark (it was winter). She didn't like it at all and let me know every day for that first week she left me a present by the front door...each day she was scolded for it. The last day of the week I came home to a present in that same spot but this time it had cat litter all over it. Yep she gave me that look..."see told ya mom it was that darn cat all the time". I told her "nice try, but you forgot to clean the litter off of it".

Another dog, my husky coyote mix was hit by a car chasing a rabbit across the road...as I was holding her while they stitched her up at the Vet I said hopefully she will learn her lesson. The Vet and techs replied...no she will never remember this and continue to take off into the street. Until she died at the age of almost 16 she sat on my feet every time a car approached. She never forgot!

I have an epileptic husky ...the first few grand mal seizures that my golden witnessed she went into full attack mode on him. Seizures required all hands on deck at my house for quite some time. Now when he has a seizure the golden sits with him, her paw gently on his shoulder and waits until he comes out of it. She is also my warning when he is going to have a seizure...she knows and lets me know.

If they have no memory, no long term memory, etc...how could these things have happened?

My Vet told me a story about his dog, a Doberman Pincer. One morning, he couldn't find his sunglasses, He looked all over, accusing his wife and kids of having done something with them. Finally, he found his dog sitting on the sofa, so he moved her and found his glasses which his dog was hiding so that he couldn't leave.

I'm sorry. A vet told you this? Go to another Vet who knows animal behavior. No dog sits and plots how they are going to keep their owner at home. I am not sure a person should own a dog if they know so little about how a dog thinks.