Dogs.

[John0829]

our black lab early on learned many words like treat, dinner, snack, etc. So we started spelling the words and not long after he responded to the spelling. We now have to spell abbreviations, pig latin spelling or substitute words. We are amazed at how much he catches on to words

Our last three dogs (two were rescue) have done this, with the current one almost to the point of correcting our spelling. She knows more words than you would think possible and her internal clock is unbelievable.

Just wish she did not shed so much. I swear she leaves more glitter (hair) in a month than the two previous would leave in a year.

 

[Jstpssng]

When I got my first dog I said that I wouldn't teach it to beg. She trained me instead. I don't know how a dog can be sound asleep in the other room and wake to the sound of slicing cheese.

With Ruger, it became a habit to share a chunk of cheese at night. When he died I ended up throwing the entire block out because I never used it. It took a year to remember not to toss a third egg in the pan, or cook a little extra oatmeal and blueberries in the morning.

 

[grsthegreat]

our black lab early on learned many words like treat, dinner, snack, etc. So we started spelling the words and not long after he responded to the spelling. We now have to spell abbreviations, pig latin spelling or substitute words. We are amazed at how much he catches on to words

My black lab is the same. Knows each of her toys by name. I can ask her to get the black bone and she will pick thru her toy basket and bring me the black bone. I ask her to bring me her dish, she will blast off to the kitchen and return with her dish

When i do a trash run, her job is to bring me all the cardboard boxes. She will run back i to garage and return with a cardboard box. And keep doing it until all are retrieved. And if im not fast enough breaking down the box…she does it. By tearing it into pieces.

And she can tell time. She gets 2 small nighttime snacks. One at 7pm and one at 8pm. She can be sound asleep on her bed while i a. Watching tv, and boom. 7pm or 8pm, shes up and sitting next to me waiting for treat. Daylight savings time messes with her though.

 

[Jstpssng]

And she can tell time

My first dog was like that. One day we snowsledded into my sister's camp and spent the afternoon. I mentioned that she ate at 6:00 every night.
We had been there for a few hours when she suddenly walked over to my duffle bag which was lying open on the rug; grabbed the gallon ziplock bag of dog food and tossed it across the floor.
I asked "what time is it?"

Six o'clock.

 

[Dftodd]

I like reading these dog tales/stories...

...what you love/hate...
I hated not knowing what we'd come home to....a perfect, calm, nice clean,
yard/homestead OR a pallet of ripped open fertilizer bags, a hole chewed in
the seat of my Road King seat, ripped shredded and scattered dog beds, shrubs
dug up, flowers ripped from their pots/flower bed, holes dug in previously
planted and manicured landscaping, picking up scattered fire wood logs over
a 2 acre area, any card board box had no chance of survival etc etc.... it was a
total crap shoot. Right when you thought you had her behaving....nope..."guess
what Daddy, I've left you a little present".
Thus goes the terrible puppy months.

I love that at 13 months or so now, this dog keeps watch over our house and front
yard (8 or 10 acre area). Keeps out coyotes, armadillos, rabbits, deer etc. She is not fenced
in other than barbed wire or cattle panel fence. She stays home. Is very protective
of "her" zone and my wife. She waits for me by the barn if I'm tractor mowing, hears the
mower turn off, she comes to lead me back. Waits for me to exit the cab and greets me like
I've been gone for weeks. Her nose is stuck right into what ever I'm working on, wants
to know exactly what I'm doing. No more major destruction (other than crappy dog toys)
but she does still enjoy finding and chewing up a good stick. Knows and obeys basic
commands, always ready to play, and learns quickly. Is a great swimmer. I've had
6 GSD over my lifetime. Each with similar traits, and each with entirely different personalities.
We've discussed getting another to keep her company but I don't think she'll accept
another dog. I'm so glad this dog came into our lives during these silver years.
We're her family and I don't care to imagine life without this dog.

P.S. one thing she does is when chewing on certain nubbie toys she moans and whines
out loud, like the pleasure is too great ....

Our GSD has been the best baby sitters one could ask for. The Bonnie to our grandsons Clyde.

One or the other was cooking up something for the two of them to get in trouble with.

And yes, they both instigated

My wife turned her back for just a minute and found this

 

[MossRoad]

Great pic!

We had a Cairn Terrier when our first child was born. I have fond memories of her barely being able to stand and looking out the front storm door window with the Cairn standing on his hind legs next to her looking out as well. They were in the exact same pose and their heads would swivel in unison as cars went by. Inevitably, the dog would look over and start licking her face because there's always something good on a baby's face for a dog to lick.

 

[goeduck]

Our GSD has been the best baby sitters one could ask for.

They sure are. I was at the tail end of a large catholic family and, apparently, my parents did not have much time to teach me things. As the story goes, our GSD "Bullet" taught me how to walk. There is film of it somewhere, he would sit down beside me, I would grab onto the fur on his back and he would slowly get up. After a few days of that he would take baby steps forward until I was walking. Great dogs.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I did not read this whole thread, but I was thinking about this the other day. We presently have a blue heeler we got from the pound at about 8 or 9 months of age. She has come a LONG way since we got her and is a wonderful dog 90% of the time, but like you said she has her issues. I am not sure if I will necessarily get a pure bred breeder dog if/when I get another. But I will definitely get a young puppy and take it all the way through professional obedience school, all the levels. By the time this one goes, if she lives into old age (one of her issues is running into the road to greet friends. Scary, even though we live on a pretty low trafficked street) I will be in my mid to upper 50's. I want a companion that I don't have to worry about, or chase around, or give a bath to everytime she rolls in who knows what. That and 100% recall at all times under any situation would be really nice. I think that can be accomplished with the right breed and proper/high level training.

Ok, now I will read more of the thread because I bet some of these issues are addressed in here. Good luck!

 

[garry1p]

I read on here where someone would hide the dog treats so I decided to try hiding her treats.

After two days I would say "go find it" and she will be off on the hunt.

So far only two rooms but will expand the area, I will point to the room as a little help. This has been great entertainment for both of us.

 

[nybirdman]

I don't know how anyone can NOT have a dog.I understand some circumstances it isn't possible.
I have owned dogs or the family has owned dogs all my life.From German Shepards when younger to Labs,English Pointers and currently German Short-hairs.
Later in life my parents had Poodles and Bichons.
Yes you have to take care of them and feed them but the rewards are unmeasurable.