How do they know

[yavenay]

the difference between going for a walk and going for a car ride? Duchess knows the difference, I'm not sure how but she knows. She hates riding in cars so when I want to take her to the dog park, I have to run up two flights of stairs to find her to put her in the car but when we go for walks, she is at the front door beating down the door to get out.

I've been thinking about this and I don't do anything that would tip her off. I don't grab my keys, I don't open the door to the garage. I wondered what signal I am giving off to her let her know we are going for a car ride and not a walk. These little buggers are smarter than we think.

[Russpilot]

There is no doubt to me that there is some sort of psychic connection with these guys. Bella knows when I am going to try to pick her up even though I don't think I give away any tells. If it is not what she is up for at the time, she will avoid me like the plague.

[Doodlebug]

Mine are psychic too. If we plan to go anywhere after our morning walk with the pups, they know and they refuse to come in the house so we can leave. Even if we have not said one word in font of them and "act" like we aren't going anywhere. They have to be reading our thoughts, there is no other explanation.

[Wylie's Mom]

I think dogs pick up on the subtlest of signals...be it a look, a smell, or whatever. There must be something super subtle that you do, that you don't even realize...?

[Doodlebug]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I think dogs pick up on the subtlest of signals...be it a look, a smell, or whatever. There must be something super subtle that you do, that you don't even realize...?

You are probably right. But they are truly amazing with what they can pick up on.

[Maximo]

Dogs are too smart. I am convinced Max and Teddy can read my mind, but as Ann wrote, they must be picking up on the most subtle signals.

Sometimes we will be sitting on the floor playing and I will think about taking them for a walk or giving them a chew. They both stop, perform a sit and tilt their heads as if they are saying, "Yes? Hmmm?" They know something is coming. I must have a look in my eyes.

[Doodlebug]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Dogs are too smart. I am convinced Max and Teddy can read my mind, but as Ann wrote, they must be picking up on the most subtle signals.

Sometimes we will be sitting on the floor playing and I will think about taking them for a walk or giving them a chew. They both stop, perform a sit and tilt their heads as if they are saying, "Yes? Hmmm?" They know something is coming. I must have a look in my eyes.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. How do they know???

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Doodlebug

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. How do they know???

Psychic, as you wrote above. They really are tuned in to us.

[yavenay]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I think dogs pick up on the subtlest of signals...be it a look, a smell, or whatever. There must be something super subtle that you do, that you don't even realize...?

That is what I am thinking too. Now I am obsessed with figuring out how she knows. So today, we go for our morning walk. I didn't say anything about going for a car ride or going to the dog park. As soon as I got out her harness, she beat to the front door. This week we have her wellness check at the vet. I am going to do the exact same thing and see what happens.

I am wondering if she knows that when I say "lets go for a ride" it means we are not going for a walk? I bet that is how she knows. That would mean I am going to have start spelling out things now and then of course she will learn how to spell. How do we stay a step ahead?

[Jkpal]

Piper always wants to be part of the action (such an endearing trait, yes?)--especially walks; however, if before I get her harness I say, "Just a ride in the car, Pipe--that's all, just a ride in the car," she's still plenty happy, but definitely tones it down and waits for me to pick her up. Once in the car, if we're headed toward groomers, she'll get a little shaky, but when I tell her we're going to Wal-Mart, that's all, we're just going shopping, within a minute her shaking stops and we're off to the races--all expectant and pleased. The fact these lamb chops are so savvy and smart is one thing, but danged if I don't see those little wheels turning when Piper is reasoning something out---like how to get around me to get her way or some such...the ability to reason--yet another amazing ability in our yorkies!

[OwnedByJezebel]

Mine can tell if they are going on a walk or to the dog park vs being left behind by which shoes I put on.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by yavenay

That is what I am thinking too. Now I am obsessed with figuring out how she knows. So today, we go for our morning walk. I didn't say anything about going for a car ride or going to the dog park. As soon as I got out her harness, she beat to the front door. This week we have her wellness check at the vet. I am going to do the exact same thing and see what happens.

I am wondering if she knows that when I say "lets go for a ride" it means we are not going for a walk? I bet that is how she knows. That would mean I am going to have start spelling out things now and then of course she will learn how to spell. How do we stay a step ahead?

Definitely! They learn so much language. I'm convinced they learn more than the experts say dogs do. I can't even say, "We need coffee" or "we're out of jelly" without Teddy and Max jumping up thinking they are going for a ride to the store.

Originally Posted by Jkpal

Piper always wants to be part of the action (such an endearing trait, yes?)--especially walks; however, if before I get her harness I say, "Just a ride in the car, Pipe--that's all, just a ride in the car," she's still plenty happy, but definitely tones it down and waits for me to pick her up. Once in the car, if we're headed toward groomers, she'll get a little shaky, but when I tell her we're going to Wal-Mart, that's all, we're just going shopping, within a minute her shaking stops and we're off to the races--all expectant and pleased. The fact these lamb chops are so savvy and smart is one thing, but danged if I don't see those little wheels turning when Piper is reasoning something out---like how to get around me to get her way or some such...the ability to reason--yet another amazing ability in our yorkies!

Teddy loves car rides so much that he is thrilled even when I say "just a ride."

Originally Posted by OwnedByJezebel

Mine can tell if they are going on a walk or to the dog park vs being left behind by which shoes I put on.

That is adorable! They are so smart.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by OwnedByJezebel

Mine can tell if they are going on a walk or to the dog park vs being left behind by which shoes I put on.

This is exactly what my group looks for....they actually look at my feet to see what shoes I have on, to help them determine what I have in store for them!

After my mother died, my matriarch, Aija, who absolutely adored my mother and communicated with her way above anything I had ever seen between dog and human, knew when momma put on a specific pair of shoes she wore out in public.....Aija looked for momma for a couple of years after mom died....Aija continued to go to her bedroom, and she would see momma's little black slip on shoes she always wore when she left the house, so then she would spend the next hour or so, distressed, looking for momma all over the house.....she saw her "going shoes" in mom's bedroom, so Aija "knew" mom was in the house someplace, and she would look and look for her. Tore my heart out when I realized what was happening....

[gemy]

I think it could be a lot of things. I muse on this a lot. But it is also one of the basics of how we train in obedience versus agility - versus dock jumping versus show training. different collars leads and of course our shoes.


Sets up and trains in the different expectations. But but but - there is something more to it than that. Why do my dogs get excited when I am washing clothes in preparation for a weekend away - I wash clothes every dang week!


I think I muse we humans send out different energy patterns when we decide to do A instead of B or C.


My dogs always know when we go to show weekend - Now some of it is explained by the things we do and the *stuff* that comes out in prep for our outing. But not everything by a long shot.


The human canine bond is still a wonderfull mystery!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by gemy

I think it could be a lot of things. I muse on this a lot. But it is also one of the basics of how we train in obedience versus agility - versus dock jumping versus show training. different collars leads and of course our shoes.


Sets up and trains in the different expectations. But but but - there is something more to it than that. Why do my dogs get excited when I am washing clothes in preparation for a weekend away - I wash clothes every dang week!


I think I muse we humans send out different energy patterns when we decide to do A instead of B or C.


My dogs always know when we go to show weekend - Now some of it is explained by the things we do and the *stuff* that comes out in prep for our outing. But not everything by a long shot.


The human canine bond is still a wonderfull mystery!

I agree that we must give off some kind of energy that the doggies interpret, even when I simply entertain thoughts of doing something, and haven't moved a muscle or uttered a word.