It's surprising what they pick up on sometimes. Penny knows that "kitty" means any cat, not just a specific cat. My Mom's poodle, Bobo, knows that "ball" and "stick" mean any ball or stick. They recognize routes we take in the car. They even know what "vacation" means, despite only having been on vacation with us twice. They know the names of every family member and if you ask "Where's Christina?" they will start looking for the person you ask for.
We've even seen simple tool use with Bobo. One time he had an ice cube that kept getting away. I saw a thought gleam in his eyes. He picked up the ice cube, trotted into a room with a low windowsill and placed the ice cube on the windowsill. He pushed the ice cube into the corner of the sill with his nose so it would finally hold still while he licked it! He was so proud of himself. |