Yorkie 6th sense
 

I was going on a business trip a couple weeks ago, and packed my bag early. Took it downstairs and then proceeded to take the Yorksters for a walk. They just wanted to get back into the house as soon as we started. Mr. Gatsby kept pawing at my leg, like he wanted me to pick him up. He never does that on a walk unless a big dog is coming our way without an owner (or he has a stick/leaves sticking to him and can't walk right). Very strange behavior so I check him out and there is no debris on him, so I pick him up and there are no threats in sight, but he is shivering/scared. Yorkies wouldn’t do anything but wanted to get right back into the house.

Do your guys notice/start to panic when there is a suitcase being packed? Can't tell if his Yorkie 6th sense is taking over and he knows what’s going on or it’s my imagination… :rolleyes:

It is not your imagination. I think they understand the suitcase the same way they know when you get your purse, shoes, coat or keys. Mia gets so excited when she sees the suitcase because she thinks she is going. When she saw me packing, she went and got her ball, and jumped in the suitcase. Hubby said it was a fluke, but we were both amazed when she came back a second time with her bully stick, jumped in, placed it, then jumped out and walked away as if to say "I'm packed and ready to go".

Yes. Sorting the diaper bag, kids back packs, dance, karate, sports bags etc the dogs get antsy...they know.

The jingle of keys solidifies it and they run circles go to the dog cabinet and want leashes on...or hide as to avoid the kennel.

Dogs are no dummies - they definitely recognize pattern behavior and can easily put two and two together once they recognize one. In the past, you packed and then you left - easy as pie to presume that you will leave again next time you pack. The shaking could have been from worrying about your leaving them and getting insecure.

If you packed a suitcase and took them for a long, fun walk ending in a long play session and treats, and then you packed a suitcase again, some days later, they would probably get pretty excited, thinking another one of those fun outside play/walk/treat sessions was about to ensue in the future. Some dogs shake out of excitement and anticipation.

He could have been shaking from some noise or smell he didn't like outside and it was completely unrelated to the packing. Many dogs shake when they are ill or cold or want something really bad.

Did he stop shaking when you brought him back in the house? Has he done the shaking before when you packed a suitcase or during a walk?

If he stopped shaking when you brought him back in the house, you might start fiddling with the open suitcase and play-packing to see if he will start shaking again. If he does, to keep him from routinely establishing this type reaction to packing, you could just toss him some high-value treats or occasional squeaky toys to hunt and eat/play with from time to time as you pack, and/or, in between bouts of packing, just start a good game of tugowar, fetch or other positive redirection of his thoughts and energies or take them for a good outside walk and play session and return to pack some more. Tie packing a suitcase with something very positive and rewarding as well as leaving as a behavior pattern and, in time, he might start to think of packing as not all bad.

They know:)
Joel always knows 5 minutes before even we know were leaving, lol
He stays away so we can't catch him for his crate:)

My two definitely know when I'm packing. They watch to make sure I'm packing their stuff too. They also know when it's time for me to go to work and know when they get to go. Whenever I put on heels, they jump up on the couch because they know they aren't going :p

Thanks for the responses. There is no doubt that they are smart enough to pick up on patterns and they become used to things that they like and expect.. My guys will, for example wait by the pantry at a certain time in the evening after their dinner for a nite time greenie snack. You cant try and skip a night, because they dont forget! But in this case, it seemed very strange to me that they would have made the association because I only go on travel maybe once a month, and sometimes even less often. I cant figure out why our boy was so freaked out, but I agree with trying to get him used to the bag so he loses the association, if he actually made it; it cant hurt. When one of us is gone, they wait by the door for a couple of days until the pack is back together.... So sad! But you have to bring home the kibbles :D

They watch your every move. Gracie knows if she is staying home when I go out by which purse I pick up. She will go lay down on the floor in the living room and give me the sad puppy stare if she sees me pick up my "traveling" purse.

They are very smart. I have a cat that does the same thing. He sees a bag come out he sits on it or in it. And won't come out lol

They know...they watch everything you do, listen to how each word is said, and have wonderful command of your language, even though they may not be able to speak it back to you.

:yorkiesar

They definitely know. I will just be getting ready and all of a sudden she is following my every move. She will pace by her travel bag or make noises by her clothes as if to tell me to put it on so she can follow. And the keys thing...she knows that signal right away!lol :D

The definitely know. Brandi does the difference of me going to work and just leaving the house to run an errand. If I am leaving to go to work, she just lays on the bed and goes to sleep. She doesn't even walk me to the door anymore. But if I am leaving to run an errand, she sits on the bottom step waiting for me to put on her leash. I love that she knows my routines and behaviors.

Sad to say but my furbaby knows more about me than any human could ever know. Okay so some of that is my fault but at least with Brandi i can trust that she won't take advantage of me.:p Or maybe she does and I just don't know it........hmmmmmmmmmmm. :D

Guinness would have packed his wardrobe, toys and deer antler as soon as you opened the suitcase or he would go try to pull his carry tote out the closet.

My big dog does that. He starts whining and trying to get outside every chance. Blazer always wants to go outside with us so I haven't noticed anything different with him yet.

Hmmmmm.....at least not in the correct accent.....;) :p :D

Oh dear, it hasn't happened yet with Harry holiday-wise, we've always taken him :)

But, with Rosie our labrador, we had to put her in the kitchen and take our suitcases to the car out of the back door, after having packed them in the spare bedroom, like some sneaky kind of couple of people. Creeping down the stairs like we were burglars! :eek: Sally + Harry x