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Does anyone else have dogs that are smarter than them?

Posted: Jul 17, 2010

I live in the sticks so don't have passersby, have no friends or relatives so I don't get company, and work 14 hours a day so I don't have a lot of time for my little canine companions through the week. Therefore on weekends, we kinda hang out together. This includes taking them to the store when I go grocery shopping and they wait in the car, people-watching from whatever window they choose to gaze out of. During the heat of summer, though, I leave them home. I don't have air-conditioning at home, but we know the inherent dangers of keeping them in a closed car. Today, however, I was running into the small town I share a zip code with to do a series of quick errands: I had to pick up a prescription, stop at the hardware store and get a tube of Liquid Nails, run into the butcher shop, and wanted to pick up a $5 Subway sub. I figured they might enjoy the scenery and a little time in the comfort of the air-conditioning of the car.

I took the spare set of keys, figuring since I'd be in no one place for more than 5-10 minutes, I could just leave the engine and AC running, set the emergency break, lock them up, run in, hop back in the car and move onto the next step and repeat the process.

I went to the pharmacy first, parking in front of the door so they could see me at all times (yes, they are really that spoiled and panic-ridden at the thought I might abandon them). Imagine my surprise when I walked out the pharmacy door to see one of my little hounds from hell had apparently stepped on the window button (they were locked, but it doesn't work for the driver's window), rolled it down, and was sitting there on the sidewalk looking pretty as a picture, patiently waiting for me, while his partner in crime was just looking out over the dashboard still trying to figure out how Rocky had escaped.

I don't know whether it was just dumb luck that he happened to step on the button to lower the window or not, but not wanting to take a chance, I am sitting here medicated, but without my Liquid Nails, no meat, and gnoshing on a peanut butter sandwich instead of my Subway Club.

;

Our lab had a habit of locking all the doors - Backwards Typist

[ In Reply To ..]
We had a car that had the lock/unlock button on the arm rest. She would step on it and lock all the doors. Why she only stepped on the All Lock button and not the separate door button, I'll never know. She almost strangled herself one day when she was leaning out the window and stepped on the window button when DH was driving (I was home working). He almost had an accident trying when he saw her gagging. Thank heavens there was a button on his side that could roll down the window.

Now she is only allowed in the truck. No buttons or door in the back seat. LOL

Ha!! That's why I keep the windows button locked. - Outfoxed

[ In Reply To ..]
About a year and a half ago they lost their 'dangle out the window' privileges. I had the window on their side of the car halfway down, figuring they could get their paws on the armrest and still get a little bit of that fresh air feeling as I cruised along the country roads home. Somehow, and I still haven't figured out how he did it, Rambo, my slightly 'slow' one, managed to launch himself out of the car, landed on the side, and proceeded to tumble down a hill, his momentum stopped, I believe, when he rolled into a corn stalk. I immediately pulled over, as did the guy who was traveling behind me, and we watched, nonplussed, as the little round Rambo bounced back up the hill, looking a little confused about what he had accomplished, but with a smug sense of satisfaction that he had pulled something off that even Rocky had not accomplished.

The windows have remained up and locked since.

Too funny. Our new puppy locked me out of our - sm - ECMT

[ In Reply To ..]
car which was running with the heat on a few months ago at the bus stop. Another mom gave me a lift home (3/10s of a mile) so I would not have to walk and worry about the dog, and get my DH's set of keys which luckily he does not carry with him usually (unless driving the car). Have had the car for 2 years now and have not gotten myself a spare key to put in my purse, just so if I lock my keys in, I have a set to open it with. Now when leaving him in the car I always make sure I have my key or have a couple windows down enough so I can reach in and unlock it....he has put windows up and down so hence I have two down to cover my butt and he has locked me out several more times since but now can get back in! -- It was probably a fluke though with your doggie, maybe next time but some tape over the window button or something over it so he cannot push it.

There's an invention someone needs to make!! - Outfoxed

[ In Reply To ..]
I think it's harder to dog-proof than it is childproof. Good thing they're so darn cute.

Supposedly dogs have very short memories (although you couldn't prove this by me). Maybe I'll wait a week and hopefully he'll forget how he magically rolled down the window and next weekend get my sub!

They're ALL smarter than we are. - Triscuit

[ In Reply To ..]
Who is it that gets fed gourmet meals every day (I cook for my two), gets unlimited naps, gets toys and treats regularly? Not us!

Good point. I never had a chance! nm - Outfoxed

[ In Reply To ..]
x

A built-in clock - Christine

[ In Reply To ..]
That was a great story. I had a mental image as I was reading! Our dog definitely knows the day of the week, and the time of day! She knows if someone visits a certain day of the week and waits for them. She knows the time of day for her walk, and she knows the day we take her to the campground. She will stare you down until you get her leash! LOL!

Gotta love our little buddies! - Outfoxed

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks about the kind words about the writing. If I hadn't wasted my life in MT, I would have loved to be another Dave Barry. I thought about writing a blog just to express my inner Hemmingway, but where to start was just too confusing.

In some ways, my doghs do see me to be born curmudgeons. They do like a set routine and predictability. After about four years with these two, I'm still working on convincing them I'm the alpha dog but I guess I'll cede some of that control, even if it means they get the best couch cushion, in exchange for the good feelings they give me. It's hard to stay mad (at them or the world) when those big brown eyes look at you with love and devotion right before they try to lay down in their water bowl or roll off the couch during a particularly enviable stretch-and-scratch on their back!

I'm the alpha in this family, but the funny thing is, - Backwards Typist

[ In Reply To ..]
if she doesn't get her way with me, she runs to daddy and he jumps to please her.

If she is unhappy while we're eating dinner and starts "telling" him so, all I do is give her a look and say "Stop, Lay Down," she will, then daddy will feel sorry because she will lay down with a sad look and he'll start petting her. GR-R-R.

She tells him what time they are supposed to go up to the garage where her 'run' is (same time every day), and every time he has to go somewhere, if he says "I gotta go ...." she'll jump up and paw him so he will take her along.

He sits on the floor to watch TV by her bed and if she wants something, she will sit in front of him and paw him. If he tells her to lay down, she gets right in his face and gives a big "woof" (usually gets his attention!).

If he is going for water, as soon as he says the word 'water', she's ready to go, too.

The newest thing is a walk behind the house where the rabbits are and that's also the same time every day. We've gotten into the habit of looking at the clock to see what she wants.

Oh, and she is now learning how to spell, so we have to find other words with the same meaning to get our point across to each other.

clock - mine too

[ In Reply To ..]
My dog never came into the computer room when I was working. She would sleep the first 4 hours of my shift, and then she laid on the couch the last 4 hours. But at 3:05 she would come and stand by the door, like ok mom I let you work 5 minutes over, and it is my turn. And if I ignored her, then she knew how to get my attention, without barking, by pouncing her front legs on the floor like one pounds their fist on the table or something to get ones attention. They are too darn smart.

She also knew that when she cleaned her dog dish out totally and only totally, she could have a little ice cream, and she could come and find me when she did that and lead me to the freezer.

Gotta love um. Mine passed away from CHF, but now I dog sit at my house and love every minute of it. They all have their own little attitudes and mannerisms and I love it all. The moms say when they get to my corner, the dogs just are excited and can hardly wait to get here.

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