My usual response to someone saying “My dog is so smart!” is: “I’m so sorry, my sympathies.” Smart can be great, but it also means that your dog has learned to steal dirty laundry to get your attention, or that you don’t really mean it when you say “Leave it,” or that the kitchen cabinet door leading to the poisonous chocolate can be opened if you leap onto one counter, stretch your body over to another one, insert your toe nail between the door and the cabinet, and . . . end up in the Emergency Vet Clinic. Oh wait–they’re not smart enough to think about that last part.
But you know what I mean, right? Smart dogs are not always the easiest of dogs to train. But then, of course, sometimes they are, and how many millions of us have not at some point been blown away by our dog’s mental capabilities?” I got to thinking about this after reading a column by friend and colleague Dr. Karen London in Wildest, 7 Better Ways to Describe a Dog (Besides “Smart”). Her point, an excellent one, is that “smart” doesn’t convey much information. We are all better off being more specific, using terms like “biddable, trainable, or soft.” I suspect that many owners use “smart” for a dog that is easy to train, but those things don’t always go together, do they?
My all-time favorite on Karen’s list is “galoopy,” or a dog who is “. . . exuberant, goofy, carefree . . . ” We all know this dog, we all love this dog, as long as its not galooping onto our bed when its covered in mud. I especially love this word because although Karen is far too graceful and athletic to be called galoopy herself, she has a playful quality that I adore, and sometimes brings eight month-old Labradors to mind. (Karen is also the author of one of the best books of 2021, Treat Everyone Like a Dog, don’t miss it if you haven’t read it.)
You can read the entire list in the article, but I thought it would be fun to talk together about some other good descriptors.
Here are a few from me, please join in!
Strategic: Strategic dogs are training you faster than you are training them. I first thought of this word when working with a Standard Poodle who had figured out that the dirtier and more embarrassing the laundry stolen from the basket, the quicker she got attention. Especially if it was dirty underwear and the boss was there for dinner. Yeah, that happened. Ever since then I’ve asked myself if a dog is using her smarts to beat the system, or not.
Skeptical: Australian Shepherds, are you reading this? Or not, because you don’t trust it’s safe? (Aussie owners, please forgive me. I write this because so many Aussies that I’ve met have greeted me with a look like “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Most of them go on to greet me enthusiastically, but there’s so often an initial moment that makes me think I should get out an ID card.) If you think about it, if you were called an Australian Shepherd, but were of a “European breed perfected in the Western United States,” wouldn’t you be skeptical too? Of course, many dogs of many breeds can be “skeptical,” I focused on Aussies because, like the story above, the first time I thought “skeptical” was when meeting an Aussie. So, Aussie owners, please forgive me. Or tell me you’re skeptical about all this. (Argh, I just can’t stop getting myself into more trouble, can I?)
Empath: Also called “mood ring dogs,” these dogs know what you’re thinking or feeling before you do. I have two of them, which is mostly wonderful, until Skip comes over to me as if to soothe me, because I just reacted to a blocked punt (funny I’d use that example today, right Packers?), and then I have to say “It’s okay Skip,” and stroke his head because I know perfectly well that rather than soothing me, he’s probably crawling up into my lap because he knew I was upset and emotions are catching and my upset upset him so he came over to me to be soothed. See, it can get tiring.
But I do love empathetic dogs, even though one really does have to be careful because trying to pretending you’re not sad/angry/upset is a fool’s game. My own experience is that a lot of these dogs are also “soft,” an good reminder that many of these categories overlap in most of our dogs.
Okay, your turn. I have to stop before I get in trouble with owners of another breed of dogs . . .
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Well, it’s been a tad nippy. Single digits and windy makes for a brisk couple of days. But Saturday night we got a lovely snow, maybe 3 inches? I’m happy to see it, because we’ve been low on moisture all winter, and that would mean a dry spring–not a good thing for native plants or animals. Or for me, who lugged hoses around for hours every week last spring asking where the hell are the May showers?
We finally took down the Christmas tree in the living room; Sunday morning I put it in with the sheep for them top nibble on. Last year they ate it down to its core. You can see in the photo below that they were a bit skeptical at first. “NEW THING! NEW THING! DANGER DANGER!” You can’t blame them, it’s good to be neophobic if you are a prey animal.
Just a minute later, one of our new ewe lambs was the first to investigate. I’m not surprised it was her–young mammals are often more curious than older ones, and this particular ewe lamb is a force of nature. She’ll stomp at Skip when her mother is hiding in the background, attempting to telepathically convey an ovine version of a submarine warning system blasting AH OOOGA AH OOGA with all the lights flashing.
Having discovered that this is not the carnivorous plant from Little Shop of Horrors, the bolder members of the flock come down to join in.
That’s all for today; time to get back to working on my novel. It’s going v e r y s l o w l y, I seem to be re-editing the first fifteen chapters eternally, but someday I’ll get on to writing some new ones. Yes? Surely I will.
But do tell us about other words for “smart” for your clever dog, in ways that convey more information than “able to know exactly which visitors it is okay to jump up on.” And stay warm, at least if you’re up here in the frozen north. If not, send some warm air up here, please?
Kat says
I recently decided that each dog has their own set of super powers and that it’s more useful for me to talk about what those are. Ranger was a brilliant communicator and problem solver with awesome leadership skills. Finna was hardwired to my emotions, never stopped thinking, and all determination to live life on her own terms. D’Artagnan is a deep well of calm, discovering his capacity to think and reliable. As I go on Therapy Dog visits with D’Artagnan the two things I hear over and over and over again are how big he is and how calm he is. But I notice that the other dogs visiting with him are convinced that if anything goes wrong they can rely on him to keep them safe. If there’s a sudden loud noise from something dropped they check in with D’Artagnan for a split second before checking with their human partner. It’s fascinating to me watching the relationships among the Therapy Dogs as they work. Ranger was always the leader, they looked to him for guidance and direction they look to D’Artagnan for safety and protection.
Somewhere I read that in every group of creatures there are the risk takers and the extremely risk adverse and without both the species won’t survive. The bold young ewe that’s willing to risk approaching the novel tree and taste it is assuring there are a variety of food sources so the species can survive while the old ewe hanging back and refusing to come anywhere near it until everyone else has tried it is assuring the survival of the species by sticking with what has always worked in the past. Sometimes I try to apply that risk taker v risk adverse calculus to human behavior.
Barbara says
At first glance that Xmas tree looks like a giant porcupine stalking the herd! I guess I’d choose the words “cautious enthusiast” to describe our dog. He likes to sit back and observe things first before joining in the fun. Let’s not rush into anything! It’s kind of an oxymoron but there it is.
LisaW says
I’ve taken to describing Olive as Opinionated. (Even as an answer to “What kind of dog is she?”) She now has matured enough to consent to our arrangement and is confident enough to voice an opinion be it a look, a circumvention, a physical response to a spoken word, a strong hint that she wants whatever it is yesterday or even a please scratch my neck right here but not too hard. There are very few things she doesn’t have an opinion about and over the years has learned how to express them all. Olive is also soft, and she’s very worried about stasis (definition 2), I think.
I’m thinking of words for our past dogs: Phoebe: Galoopy (love that word); Grace: Leary; Ester: Affiliative; Sadie: Bombproof. Interesting that Biddable, Trainable didn’t come up. Hmmm.
Barbara says
Did I refer to the sheep as a herd in my earlier comment? Geez, I meant flock. My apologies to Skip, Maggie and Tricia!
MelF says
The submarine warning system has me chuckling.
Some of the words I was thinking about have to do with my shelties (who always seem to fit the smart category): curious funster, quick learner, watchful mimic, inventive, problem-solver.
My late Jasper could watch me make a 350 degree turn and mimic my actions when I said “Ditto.” He learned to do the same for walking backwards and forwards. He was my watchful mimic. Thanks for a fun read!
Nora says
Hmmm now I must really think what word describes my newfies 🤔
Ellen says
I was listening to the “Ologies” podcast about racoons recently. Many of the words they used to describe racoons also seemed to apply to my 8 month old standard poodle puppy.
Chaos Gremlin was one that really stuck with me, but I think inquisitive and persistent are closer to the words you’re looking for.
Charlotte Kasner says
Siberian Huskies – run a cost benefit analysis when they hear a cue (“What’s in it for me?”)
About to get an Aussie – thanks for the warning!
Wendy says
I agree with your choice of the word skeptical for Australian Shepherds. I’ve been a proud owner of the breed for over 25yrs. They do look at new people like hey, who are you and what do you want to do? At times they even look at me trying to figure out what’s next or let’s see if I can figure her out today. Wouldn’t trade them for anything but as you said been a smart dog can bring additional complications:)
Wendy S. Katz says
I am blessed with an Aussie from a breeder whose dogs seem to have the affectionate never-met-a-stranger personalities of Golden Retrievers. I’ve met a load of the skeptical ones though.
Molly is the type of “smart” who came to realize that the kitchen is a giant food puzzle. I looked up from my reading one day to see her prancing into the living room with a sleeve of rice cakes dangling from her mouth. I would add Judgmental to the list though. I sometimes look at her expression and fear I’m not measuring up to expectations. Or maybe Resting Bitch Face really is a thing.
Kay says
LOL with a little coffee coming out of my nose…I’m an Aussie owner. Oh my goodness some of her looks and antics. Too many to share but the one that comes to mind at the moment is having the bells on the back door so she can ring them to go out. I taught Lilly this two years ago and she does use it. However, if I’m in the kitchen and she is at the back door which is in view from the kitchen she will not ring the bell and looks at me like “I’m standing here, you see me, I’m not ringing the stupid bell, are we not past this yet”
She’s a “too smart for her own good sometimes” precious girl!
Carole says
“NEW THING! DANGER! DANGER!” perfectly describes my born feral Jax. New furniture, appliances, and (worst of all) new people frighten him. Hours after anyone he doesn’t know well has left the house, he is still sure they are lurking somewhere. Brody is a gigantic galoopy (love this word!) dog. My daughter once said that all the bouncing and silliness would be adorable in a 30 pound dog… not so much in one that weighs 150! I’ve had two empathic dogs. Marcia the Borzoi was wonderful when we visited nursing homes. She always knew who wanted her to keep her distance, as well as those who wanted to hug her. And Wyatt the Rottweiler comforted anyone who was sad or upset. Good luck with working on the book…I cannot wait to read it.
muttzrule says
Is it possible to be a galoopy empath? I think that was Duncan, who always snuggled close when I wasn’t feeling my best, but was just as quick to leap off the couch or bed when he heard one of his neighbor dog buddies out in their yard, sometimes accidentally injuring me as he flew to the back door. I still have a faint purple mark on my left leg, my last “Duncanation,” that I hope never fades away.
mgc says
I have a galoopy PBGV; crammed full of enthusiasm and joy. He’s also a Megaphoner: announcing anything the least bit surprising (even if repeated several times a day) with ear-splitting bays of “the cat’s coming downstairs!” or “snow fell off the roof!” My Scottie I would say is Contemplative: she weighs circumstances and decides what her reaction, if any, should be. She leaves the lightning responses to her PBGV brother, while she decides if reacting is worth the effort on her part. She often decides “no.” Except when food is involved.
MinnesotaMary says
Most of the huskies I’ve knows are problem-solving independent thinkers. Long description, but they were bred to solve problems (like a wide crack in the ice) that they see long before the musher does. The lead dog’s decision-making skills would mean the difference between life and death to the rest of the team and the musher. When we breed dogs to think independently and make their own decisions, they often aren’t willing to take direction from us. I like them because it means always staying two steps ahead of them or they will either eat everything that fits in their mouths or take my house down around my ears 😉
Teddy says
I think the word that applies to our current dog is “single-minded.” Whatever she is focused on — exploding with joy at the sight of another dog (or the shores of Lake Michigan), or tapping into her Beagle lineage while following scents or sacked out on the couch — she is ALL IN.
As for the novel’s progress: Two things. First, the cold we’re enduring is stultifying. It’s hard to concentrate on much while it’s going on. And second, hey, it’s Mercury Retrograde until Feb. 3rd. So going back and re-working may be your best use of time for now, and you may discover an inexplicable energy to move forward during the first week of Feb. Here’s hoping!
Elaine says
Clever. My recently deceased Kate was so clever, creating new games for me to play with her. Gardening involved her hiding toys in shrubs for me to retrieve and of course throw (and if they fell down before I could get to them, she carefully placed them back in the shrub). Backyard play often involved her dropping a toy into the pool for me to retrieve (she didn’t swim, she sank!). If the toy didn’t go into the pool on first try, she waited until you weren’t looking -or so she thought – before giving it a nudge with her nose and laughing!
Persistent.
Intuitive.
Sarah Patzer says
I’m not sure what word would best describe my GSD but she does not bark when someone walks up to our door holding a package to be delivered. She only barks when people walk up to our door without a package. It just floors me that she has this figured out.
j says
Aussies, skeptical? I laughed until tea came out my nose (sorry!). Oh, yes, yes, both of mine, as sweet and gentle and accepting of other people as the were, there was that first moment of, um, *are you a troll?*
Trisha says
Ah, Charlottle, but they can be great, great dogs! Good luck with your new one!
Trisha says
LisaW: Love Olive as “Opinionated.” Especially capitalized!
msf says
We have two dogs, at two ends of the spectrum.
Our Cavalier King Charles is 7 years old, and she had a Vestibular event last year that has left her deaf….and a little “out to lunch” most of the time. As a result of the event, she also has the most adorable left head tilt, and she looks at us like she is constantly confused. She can sleep the day away if you let her because she can’t hear distractions. And I’m sure our neighbors laugh at us when we’re outside, trying to use our made-up sign language to get her to come inside.
Our other girl, a West Highland White Terrier, is our 2 year old Court Jester. She entertains us with the way she can prance around with a toy. (Her favorite is a tug-of-war toy that she never uses the way it is intended. Instead, she wears it like a necklace and doesn’t like it when you take it off of her neck.) She is the one who can read our minds. She knows our routine, and when we deviate from the norm, she is right there in our faces, trying to find out WHY! She’s the one who goes to the back door when I pick up my keys, always ready for a ride in the car. She also has a built-in alarm clock. She knows that 7am is too late, so she wakes me up with kisses. And at 5pm, she “reminds” me that it’s time for dinner.
Smart? Empathetic? Strategic? I don’t know what all of this says about my girls, but I know they always make me happy and entertained!
Margaret Tucker says
Wager (lab) is galoopy, even at 12. That is dangerous at the moment as he is recovering from surgery, is wearing an Elizabethan collar and he is a bull in a china shop. Sashi (lab mix) is more strategic. She is antisocial/social – does not like other dogs but loves people, maybe because people give her scratches and treats.
Deborah Mason says
As I read the article & comments I thought about our two “pound puppies”. Marley, the first one was literally afraid of everything when we brought him home – flinching at every shadow the 15 miles from the shelter, through a tree-lined rural road. He’s gotten braver over time, has learned many, many things. But, the word that sticks hardest is “scheming” – that came after his younger “sibling” had grown up. He’ll do things like go to the kitchen & sound off (bark, whine or moan) to make the younger one think there’s something to investigate, then run & steal the coveted lap or toy. He’s done several variation on this theme.
Hickory, the younger one – is single minded. When he’s following a toy or scent or anything he’s started, it seems he can’t hear. He’ll continue until he either succeeds or decides he wants help (locating a thrown toy that’s part of their dinner rituals, for example). Then he’ll look to one of us for input, but not before he’s ready.
We’ve been so pleased in the last few weeks to see them share the dog/guest couch on a fairly regular basis.
Tammy says
We adopted a new street dog puppy three months ago, our third street dog in 15 years. She is the first who came to us fully feral; she’d been inside a building for the first time 10 days before she got to us. She is an awesome happy dog, so wonderful in our home, so full of joy playing with our other former street dog. If her DNA is to believed, she has only teeny traces of a couple of breeds and almost all of her DNA is from an entirely different line of natural dogs than the line from which all of today’s breeds come from. She comes, essentially, from 100s of generations of Caribbean/South American village dogs.
We’ve had a lot of smart dogs over the years, but this one is smart in a very different way. I say she’s anthropologist smart. We’ve never had a dog who sits and watches our every move, like we’re in an anthropology study and she wants to figure out how exactly we tick. We joke that her eyes look into our very souls! I do wonder whether it’s her long village dog heritage — these dogs survive by figuring out how humans work, how to get things they need from humans, directly or indirectly, and how to avoid humanity’s worst nature. I say she loves training with me because she’s just getting us to expose more of ourselves while we think we’re training **her** 🙂
Alice R. says
Oh, this is so fun! Mine is a skeptical empath that also likes to make sure you have skin in the game. Once I learned that he needed to time to think, he was easy to work with, but he wants your participation. He will ask for a seat in a lap or the couch, even adding the begging look, and then sit there looking at you like he doesn’t understand the words or gestures until you tell him forget it. Once you ignore him, he sees the game is over, and jumps right up to make himself comfortable. Of course, this is never pulled on guests, only family. He loves all training, but outside of that will occasionally just look at you, and i swear I can hear him saying “beg me”. If you walk away, he follows with a “hey, I was only kidding, where’s your sense of humor?”. They are all so different from each other, and so much fun.
Louise says
I have read about dogs being empathetic, but my dog would look at me and wag his tail vigorously as if nothing was wrong when I was upset. I got his message “Life is good; do not waste it on that”.
Ilene Segal says
My first Dalmatian was far too smart for his own good. I would refer to him as a “planner”. He would size up a situation, mull things over, make a plan and execute the plan flawlessly – well, most of the time. He followed my staff quietly into the break room, make himself scarce until they left, eat all the food they had left behind, and wait quietly until someone returned several hours later. I caught him once with what I thought was an e-collar on his head, but it turned out to be the round top of the trash basket he had pushed his head through the swinging part to get at something inside, couldn’t back out, so he wore the top proudly – “nothing to see here”. I watched him steal a half slice of bread from a full plate very carefully so as not to disturb the rest and raise the alarm. I saw him get a younger dog in the park to chase him, then he ran straight for a tree, and at the last minute dodged to the side and I guarantee he was laughing when the other dog ran head first into it. He would go into the boarding cat ward at my animal hospital, (because of course he had free run of the place and saw all my office appointments with me ) and he would snuffle at the cage doors to get the cats upset which would invariably result in the cat food getting spilled out onto the floor. I still miss him every day.
Gayla says
Definitely not the easiest breed I’ve ever owned. And, as a generalization, ‘skeptical’ seems right on target… Challenging as she has been though, now that I’ve had an Aussie I’m not sure I’ll ever want anything else.
Love some of the responses that describe the ‘jokesters.’ When I used to do classes, I met several Frenchies that were total little comedians. Not particularly biddable, but delightful senses of humor!
Grace says
Pushy, persistent, for one dog and the other is patient, thoughtful, kind, maternal
MaryAnn says
Chihuahua Jack X – HYSTERICAL
Nancy Lawhorn says
I may have a comment and a question, or both or just a story. We adopted a tiny 6 mo old female Min Pin, Ami, in March of 2012. An Ohio Dachshund Shelter rescued her from an amish puppy mill. In the beginning she was horribly skittish. During the 9 years 9 months that we had her she got better and better. The last couple of months that we had her she was 100% better. Took that long. We always commented on how the shelter told us that she was not smart and that her sister was much smarter than she. The foster people kept her in a bathroom. We thought that certainly they missed something because we found Ami to be extremely intelligent! She showed that she loved us very much. She played with her weekly purchased squeaky toys, quickly obeyed commands and played frog legs when we went to bed (stretched her back legs straight out and wiggled her tail so fast we thought it would make her fly away). My husband picked out a sweatshirt for her that said Happy Meeter with an arrow that pointed to her tail. Then on 11/15/2021, we were at the groomers, waiting outside due to protocols, when she pulled out of her collar and ran. This was not the Ami that we knew at all. What happened to Ami’s psyche that day?? Did I read her incorrectly all of these years?? I’ve done EVERYTHING that I can to try to find Ami, including a pet detective with scent dogs and 2 different Phychics. I have an upcoming appointment with the second on March 3 at 1:00pm. Should you want to respond to my despair, I can describe the day that she ran. Everything was wrong. I, my husband and our other Min Pin, Jackson miss her. There’s a void here now without her. I’ll talk at a later time about how smart Jackson is to the point of talking …slush bla slush bla and then saliva swallowing.
Karin says
My enormous 6y old Golden is a sweet and gentle soul. Nothing but love. A true BFG. And an empath too. He senses when I am sad, and rises from his cushion and comes to sit with me till he senses I’m OK.
But when I throw balls, he comes to life. And jumps very high, so wonderfully playful.
And I think he’s clever too, he knows exactly when I’m going to leave (begging to come along), and when it’s time for meals or treats (he’s always hungry..). But so very very patient, a true example!
Before him, I had a Siberian husky (a present from my youngest son from Inuvik, where he worked at a husky farm for a year), he was my best friend for ever. He was ‘retired’ after eight years as a sled dog, and lived ‘happily ever after’ for five years with me (in the Netherlands). He was like a magnet for the children in the neighborhood, they all came to caress him. Such a gentle soul too.
I think the word gentle seems to be invented for (my) dogs….
I’ve come to respect dogs enormously, they’re so emotionally intelligent (and smart and clever).
They never cease to amaze me…
And enrich my soul.
Anne says
Hahaha I love that you put Aussies under skeptical. I like to think I’m a match for my breed that way. Answering the the phone “Do I know you?” ( I don’t really say that but I think it) Why is there a strange car in my driveway? Do I need to release the hounds?
I think the great thing about dogs is that they can have so many descriptors all at once (and people too). I have a skeptical, galoopy, smart, sweet 6 month old Aussie. A have a bossy, obsessive, cuddly, smart, hyper, biddable, skeptical Aussie. I have a stubborn, bossy, skeptical, comforting Aussie. I haven’t had anything but Aussies for almost 40 years, since I found out they are the best breed (lol). But they are all different. Mostly bossy and skeptical and a whole range of other traits. Mostly smart too. Although I say some are smart in a creative way and some are smart in a learn the rules, follow the rules way.
Sandy says
I have a non border collie, border collie look alike who is a master opportunist. She is astute at anticipating and recognizing an opportunity to move in on the cats dish, swoop in on the crumbs our other dog hasn’t finished yet. She has cleverly perfected the exact facial expression and tail wag that gets me out of bed, gets me out on walks, gets that extra treat or taste of whatever I’m having. Since the last time change she has been trying to move dinner time up to 3pm!
Her name is Goodness and she has a bad habit of licking our newfs ear whenever she is excited, bored, wanting to get him and me moving ( like a good sheep). She is 11 and I have been unsuccessful at deterring this annoying behavior! Yep, she seizes every opportunity I leave open. I have become her working sheep.
Karen London says
Oh my, I’m so grateful for the joy and laughter this blog and all the comments have brought to me! The diversity of ways everyone is describing their dogs fills my heart with happiness. I love so many terms–cautious enthusiast, Opinionated, jester, planner, observer, mimic, clever, single-minded, funster. . . And I will never forget the love expressed with the word Duncanation! I love that all types of personalities and attributes are appreciated and so very loved. Thanks, Trisha, for writing about the ways we describe our dogs–such fun to follow the discussion. I have my paws crossed that the word “galoopy” continues to spread and resonate with people!
Trisha says
Karen, I think you coined “Galoopy,” and it should be credited to you for ever after!!!!
Sandy says
My 12 year old newf has perfected his wisdom in conserving energy unless expending energy is necessary. He is a keen observer who waits to see if getting up at this moment is warranted. He has earned old man rights to having treats hand delivered!
Aideen says
Such beautiful dogs! And countryside!
Love reading about everyone’s dogs!
I have a lovely 8 month old Irish setter. Her biggest problem is that she is part kangaroo and jumps up terribly on people.
This has really improved 97% at home by not looking,talking or touching her until settled.
Unfortunately if we are out and she is off lead it is dreadful.
Should I walk her on lead all the time until she meets people and learns to greet them properly?
I feel this is the answer but then feel bad that she does not get a good run off lead .
Any suggestions from my learned dog lovers?
Many thanks
JMM says
My current greyhound is one of those, “oh no, she’s smart” dogs. I got her when she was 8 after a successful racing career and being a brood momma to four litters. She had a very full life before coming to me. She doesn’t like to be out of my sight but she pays no attention to anything I say except walk and food related words. But she watches me do things then figures out how to do them herself. She can open any kind of door, including a sliding pocket door, except for a standard round door knob.
One evening when she was sleeping her back end slid off her bed and landed on a toy that made a very loud squeak that woke her up. She got up, picked the correct toy out of a bunch, and set it up on the other side of her bed so it wouldn’t disturb her anymore.
Robin says
I don’t know if it’s synonymous with smart, but Karen’s word “Affiliative” made me immediately think of some dogs (namely a certain golden retriever I met) that we’d call “velcro dogs”.
Great article, and great reminder that labels, even seemingly positive ones, can limit our awareness and full understanding of the individual.
muttzrule says
to Karen London,
Thank you so much for the kind words! My cannonball canine gave me that little purple stripe with his nails when he heard Max the Lab outside and jumped up to go run the fence line with him. Hurt like the devil at the time, but it’s a badge of honor from a dearly loved and missed golden shepherd who lived life to the fullest until his last few days during which he succumbed to a sneaky cancer that didn’t show itself until the end. He’s galooping on the other side of the bridge now with his adopted brothers, sisters, and cousins who went before him.
Emily says
Patricia, I’ve only known about you and your work for about two weeks, the latter of which has been my first week as a first-time dog owner, and I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing your research and experience. I’m approaching this much more like a scientist than I think I would have had I only come at dog training from the how-to angle, and as a result it’s engaged my curiosity rather than my frustration. I’m not getting everything right, but I have not once gotten angry (either at the dog or myself), and I can only hope that I’m somehow exuding that “benevolent leader” aura even if the only thing I’ve kept consistent is forgetting where I left my clicker.
Speaking of curiosity, that seems to be the main trait in my little 6-month-old Aussie mix. She’d been holed up outdoors in the home where she was born, in desperate need of socialization, and she has a lot of fear of the unknown to work through, but for all that, she’s managed to surprise me with her inquisitiveness. On her second night here, I brought her upstairs to my bedroom to start acclimating her to it. She saw herself in the full mirror and was understandably mesmerized. Ha ha, puppies think their reflection is another dog, how cute. Well, this puppy ended up spending the next hour trotting between every reflective surface in the house, staring at each of them for a few seconds before moving on to check the next mirror dog… including the one upstairs. To be clear, I had carried her up and down the stairs on our initial tour (she’s got stumpy little legs like a corgi or dachshund), and I’m almost positive she’d never encountered a staircase before in her life. But she had to check the upstairs mirror, so she ended up mastering the stairs in one night. I’m so glad I’ve learned that nosework and command training work a dog’s brain plenty, because otherwise I wouldn’t have known how to keep a curiosity-motivated puppy entertained. Any suggestions on this would be awesome, though!
(For the record, I can totally see the Aussie skepticism as well: I have noticed her happy-wag her tail all of 3 times.)
Samantha says
Great Pyrs fall into the category of ‘I hear you, but I’m going to run what you asked through my head first to make sure I agree before I do it’. I’m pretty sure there is ‘smart’ in there somewhere, but it gets overshadowed by the other ‘S’ word (stubborn as sh….)
Trisha says
Oh Samantha, I know EXACTLY what you mean! Tulip had a “Hmmm, I need to think about this first” look that I’ve only seen on a few other dogs. (Huskys, can you hear me?)
Melanie Hawkes says
I tell Upton he is a clever boy all the time. Clever that he can find a clear plastic lolly wrapper in the grass while out walking (and give it to me). Clever that he knows the difference between the bin and the bucket when putting rubbish or dirty washing away for me. Clever that he can put sheets (and other items) in my washing machine, and he recently remembered how to press the lift buttons at work, after six years of not going! Clever that he can unlock the back door to get out if he needs to toilet when I’m not home (but barks at the door if I am home). But it can be a curse: he remembers every house where a dog has barked at us, even years after the dog has gone. Yep, he is such a clever dog.
Frances says
Sophy (papillon) is Always Right, even when she isn’t. She is highly empathetic, utterly opinionated and very kind to poor humans who need things spelled out in Very Big Letters. Poppy (toy poodle) was once completely galoopy, and still bounces with joy when food is around or something makes her especially happy. Now, though, two years of liver failure and iatrogenic Cushings have reduced her bounce – she is slower, completely focussed on food, and happy to snooze somewhere warm. Freddy (papillon, 6 months old) is unfurling new skills every day. We are still learning about each other, but as he takes Sophy as his role model and is showing signs of being equally opinionated his adolescence should prove interesting… For now he is confident, very friendly to people and dogs and – the one word that describes him best – joyous.
Kat says
Meet Falcor https://www.flickr.com/photos/33350160@N02/albums/72177720296341228 he’ll be joining the family officially in about a week. I don’t know him really well yet but at this point I’m going to say he’s all happy, willing potential. D’Artagnan likes him as a playmate. I’m hoping he’ll be as happy to have him as a little brother.
Trisha says
Oh wow! This is so exciting!
Jay says
Not sure about other dogs, but the mine average dog’s intelligence is roughly as a 2.5-year-old baby’s. They bark at anything. Walks, dinner, coming home, squirrels.
In three words to describe my dogs would be:
Noise, chaos, bounce
Love them much.
BARB STANEK says
I have my first matter-of-fact dog. She’s high energy, smart, capable of tricks on me, and quick to learn anything! She goes forever and has clear preferences in activities, food, weather, and what she should do next. But if all of the discussions have been had, and she realizes that she must stay home while I go to the store, she is matter-of- fact. She takes her kong in her crate and settles down and waits. No whining or plaintive calls as I leave. No wayward looks making me feel like a villan! Just settling down and waiting out the confinement. Matter-of-fact. Love this girl.
Trisha says
Barb: “Matter of fact” dog. Love it, love it, love it!
Evelyn Haskins says
I had a cat who was empathetic. Initially he was a ‘hider’, but when young he disappeared for over a month, and finally returned rat-eaten. When the neighbours returned from their cruise. (Devil must have been shut up in their shed the whole time.
When he returned we got him to a vet, and he ended up the most wonderful cat in the World as far as I was concerned, When I was stressed he always seemed to know it and would sit on my lap and let me hold him tight.
I would NEVER call my German Shepherds ‘smart’. Mostly willing and bonded. Sallee is very soft and timid. Ironbark seem a perpetual teenager — not quite in control of himself, but all heart.
Mad Millie is?? Well what you would expect from a Beagle/English Cocker Spaniel cross. If I had to use one word, I would say selfish. But that helps training in many ways — she’ll do just about ANYTHING to get what she wants and when she wants it. (Not my choice of dog, but on top of it all, she IS sweet.)
Anne Margolis says
I just found this site for the first time & am enthralled by the content and the replies. We used to have a husky (not purebred) who had blue eyes we named Skye. She was my soul-mate and definitely showed empathy when I was burnt out from stressful work. After she passed we were devastated. Now we have a (large) male Shetland Sheepdog named Kammeron (“Kammie”) who has the softest gentlest mouth I’ve ever known in a dog. We joke that he’s our third kid and that we became better parents with each child. He loves loves loves balls of all kinds and my husband taught him (or did he teach my husband?) how to play indoor soccer, which we play with him religiously twice a day. It’s actually a cross between field hockey and soccer, as he uses a toy duck (aka Mrs. Duck) like a hockey stick in addition to his paws to dribble and move an indoor ball across our second floor and “score” goals. He sometimes pretends he can’t reach the ball when it’s under a piece of furniture or the bed and then waits until we go to reach it for him before he rushes in to get it first! He’s also developed a “stealth” move where he hides near the side of the bed and then explodes out like a torpedo to grab the moving ball before we can “score.” We now have 2 grandsons (aka “the wild boys”) who live nearby and spent a great deal of time making sure they understood how to interact properly with Kammie. They did not have a dog of their own at that time; and one way they “bonded” with our Sheltie was when they asked if they could play indoor soccer with him and us. That definitely helped Kammie relate better to them as well, as when they first came to visit us he would try to find some quiet corner to stay away from the chaos. When it’s time for Kammie to eat, he sits directly opposite my husband (who preps his meals) and just stares, quietly, until my husband gets up and goes into the kitchen. Like many of the folks who wrote the previous replies, we prefer his company to that of most humans. He is also extremely handsome and he knows it!
Callie Simmons says
My border collies were gentle, loving dogs with high cognitive abilities. Not surprising they could learn new things with ease https://ivypanda.com/essays/border-collies/ . We used to train them for detection work, and I must admit they are the most hard-working animals I’ve ever met.
J Chaknova says
I was attempting to drop off food at a niece’s house. I went to the house I thought was correct. Three dogs greeted me. One was a red Aussie with one leg missing. He looked at me and barked and barked in a non-threatening way. The other dogs did not bark at all. I rang the doorbell but nobody answered. Then the Aussie started barking again, as if to say, “Hey human, I already told you nobody is home!” As it turned out, I went to the wrong house. The Aussie knew the instant I arrived that I was lost.