Language comprehension in dogs

[Zass]

Marilla, my avatar cat, had a huge vocabulary. You could talk to her in paragraphs and she seemed to get the gist of it at least. Cats use body language to communicate more than vocalizations. The signals can be subtle and we dumb humans sometimes miss them at first.

The most amazing cat I ever had was a cat named Watts. It wasn't only me that felt rather humbled in his presence- just looking at him, you knew that his wisdom and IQ blew yours out of the water. Marilla had that same air about her, from what comes through in her photos.

I always wonder just how smart cats are.
They were the only species I know that didn't require intentional selective breeding to domesticate. Instead they have been random-bred (allowed to choose their own mates) for most of our shared history, and hadn't changed much until the carefully controlled breeding trends of recent years.

A stray cat can choose you to care for him or her. I tend to think that they know what traits they are seeking in perspective care-takers too.
This is opposite of how humans usually interact with animals.

A cat's way of thinking is somewhat different than ours. Communication can be tricky. Instead of them struggling to understand us (like dogs do) I find myself struggling to understand (and better serve) the cat. A flick of ear or tail add volumes of nuance that I can only guess at.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

A stray cat can choose you to care for him or her.

As opposed to the poor persecuted house cats...

"It is day one thousand two hundred and twenty seven of my incarceration. The guards continue to feed me dry tasteless kibble while they dine on fresh meat, although they persist in ruining it by heating it and thereby destroying the flavor.

The dog is as stupid as ever. Although he is allowed outdoors to breathe fresh air and has every opportunity to escape, he instead comes willingly back to this prison and grovels at the feet of our captors..."

 

[Zass]

As opposed to the poor persecuted house cats...

"It is day one thousand two hundred and twenty seven of my incarceration. The guards continue to feed me dry tasteless kibble while they dine on fresh meat, although they persist in ruining it by heating it and thereby destroying the flavor.

The dog is as stupid as ever. Although he is allowed outdoors to breathe fresh air and has every opportunity to escape, he instead comes willingly back to this prison and grovels at the feet of our captors..."

:rotfl:

I agree with the cat, rare is best. Give me sashimi and bleeding steak please. Everyone else can keep their fully cooked meats.

My cats dine on raw venison, rabbit, or salmon, + whatever they catch (I usually only find the gut piles) and grain free canned cat food.

Dry kibble was compromising the urinary heath of my senior cat.

 

[MaggieJ]

Yeah, those persecuted house cats sure have it rough! :roll: Just ask Jenny. Only three servants to anticipate her every whim and take care of her... Anyone can see why such a house moggie is discontented...

 

[the reluctant farmer]

The first dog I ever had when I was 5 was so smart, and no-one in my family realized it. We just thought that was normal and we unfairly held too high a standard for other dogs. He was a collie with a wonderful sense of humour and loving compassio and was my dad's right hand man. He started out herding the cattle to the barn with my dad, then eventually would go fetch them by himself when my dad would tell him it was milking time. Our pasture was a mile away from the barn, so my dad really loved not having to walk down the cow lane and back again. Sporty took his job very seriously and knew it better than anyone. He and my dad would talk before milking time, my dad telling him if there were cows who he should keep an eye out for or to let him know if one calved. I swear he understood and would report back afteer driving the cows in to the barn. I think dad forgot the dog couldn't speak. A few times cows had hidden from him in brush or the swamp. My dad would say, "Sporty, you missed one!". Sporty would look startled, run to see which stanchion was missing a cow, then hightail it for the woods. A few minutes later he'd come chasing a cow full-run back to the barn. Not so good for milk output, but he was making sure the cows would never try it again. No humiliating him twice. I don't know how many words he knew; we were so ignorant about dogs that we did absolutely no training with him yet he learned and taught himself so much. We took it for granted that we could just speak to him like we would to another person and he'd know what we expected. And he did. I've been blessed as an adult to have had a few bright dog companions, and at least three of my cats were so wicked clever that I often felt very stupid around them, even though I am considered rather bright by people standards. I had the feeling from all three of them that I was useful and sort of amusing to them, so they decided to keep me. While two were ferals that moved in and one current is a shelter rescue, I definitely had the sense that they adopted me. It appears they all felt I needed rescuing and someone to keep an eye on me & mine...

 

[MaggieJ]

... at least three of my cats were so wicked clever that I often felt very stupid around them, even though I am considered rather bright by people standards. I had the feeling from all three of them that I was useful and sort of amusing to them, so they decided to keep me. While two were ferals that moved in and one current is a shelter rescue, I definitely had the sense that they adopted me. It appears they all felt I needed rescuing and someone to keep an eye on me & mine...

I like this! Cats are like that!

Sporty sounds like an exceptional dog... you were lucky to have him.

 

[Bad Habit]

Chuck's the same way... Except he very much wants to have a bed to know where he can go, lay down and be good. He likes being a good boy. I talk to him all the time, in a conversational tone... He knows so much.

Yes, Chuck is a good canine citizen, isn't he? Do you notice that he will discipline other dogs or animals if they "break the rules"? I notice that the really well educated dog will do that.

I don't know if this was exactly the type of behaviour you were thinking of, MSD, but I like bragging about how smart my dog is.

Your Chuck is to you what my dog Frosty was to me. More a part of you than a pet.

Nope, no CGC for Chuck. Looked into it, but he's too dog reactive and I honestly don't really care about training him out of it. Chuck's small and easily managed, so I don't mind the dog issues, since it's easy to handle. He does, however, put my mom's (80lb, 8mth old) lab puppy in his place from time to time but mostly looks to the humans(his pack leaders) to stop the pup from harassing him.

Yeah, he's basically a part of me. Everyone always expects to see him with me, as I very rarely leave home without him. He's my first dog that's been solely MY dog... I think he turned out pretty well. It doesn't hurt that all he wants is to be pet and told he's a good boy, that's what matters most to him in life!

 

[the reluctant farmer]

I like this! Cats are like that!

Yes, indeed. And I do adore them for it. Dogs can make you feel like you are a God. Cats remind you that you definitely are not--but it's still ok.

Sporty sounds like an exceptional dog... you were lucky to have him.

. We truly were. I still feel badly that he didn't get as much as he deserved. He enjoyed his life and had the run of the farm--but he really deserved a warm bed in the house to sleep on after a hard day's work, a gentle brushing and paw massage while his nails were trimmed after running the pastures, and every person in that full household telling him how special and how loved he was, every minute of the day. But my family were raised to be stoic, practical farmers, and animals had their place. Outside, or in the barn. We were lucky to have a warm bed in the house ourselves, a foot massage was unheard of, and it was understood you were loved so it wasn't said out loud when I was young. I suspect the dog took one look at the rag-tag lot of us and figured it out quickly, but the grown Me still wishes I could thank him and tell him what a joy he was.

 

[JenerationX]

I love this... sad dog diary : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw1C5T-fH2Y

Check out the sad cat diary on the same channel too.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I agree with the cat, rare is best. Give me sashimi and bleeding steak please. Everyone else can keep their fully cooked meats.

So you prefer being "raw fed" as well, eh?

My cats dine on raw venison, rabbit, or salmon, + whatever they catch (I usually only find the gut piles) and grain free canned cat food.

Oooh! Spoiled kitty-kitties! Our indoor cats get a grain free (dry, tasteless kibble ) but our barn cats get the cheap bags of "Special Kitty" in the 40+ pound bags from Walmart. The barn kitties just don't live long enough before being eaten by some larger predator for me to worry about their long term health. :roll:

Yeah, those persecuted house cats sure have it rough! :roll: Just ask Jenny. Only three servants to anticipate her every whim and take care of her... Anyone can see why such a house moggie is discontented...

Yes, well you have just admitted your Moggie's lack in the servant department... only three??? Poor little Jenny- she must have to wait nanoseconds before her desires are fulfilled! *Sniff!*

The first dog I ever had when I was 5 was so smart, and no-one in my family realized it. We just thought that was normal and we unfairly held too high a standard for other dogs.

My first dog was undoubtedly the smartest dog I have ever owned- and I have never gotten another Eskie because I know that I would unfairly compare it to her.

we were so ignorant about dogs that we did absolutely no training with him yet he learned and taught himself so much.

Unlike you, I did consciously work with my dog, and took her to obedience and "trick training" classes... but the adults in the group told me "You will never have a dog that compares to her once you are grown up because you wont have the free time to spend training it." They have been right so far- no dog I have had since comes close to her level- but I hope that once my kids are grown, the "empty nest syndrome" will kick in and I will once again have another dog that at least comes close.

Some dogs just have that innate understanding without conscious training, but they are few and far between. You and your family were truly blessed to share your lives with that dog.

I think dad forgot the dog couldn't speak. A few times cows had hidden from him in brush or the swamp. My dad would say, "Sporty, you missed one!". Sporty would look startled, run to see which stanchion was missing a cow, then hightail it for the woods. A few minutes later he'd come chasing a cow full-run back to the barn. Not so good for milk output, but he was making sure the cows would never try it again. No humiliating him twice.

Now that's an example of a dog that understands English and has a good work ethic to boot!

at least three of my cats were so wicked clever that I often felt very stupid around them

That is how we felt with Watts.

I had the feeling from all three of them that I was useful and sort of amusing to them, so they decided to keep me.

:lol: Yep. That's "cattitude" for ya.

It appears they all felt I needed rescuing and someone to keep an eye on me & mine...

I don't think Watts thought I needed rescuing, but he definitely kept an eye on me. If I was away for a day or two, he would make a point of climbing into the car the next time I left so he could participate in my adventures.

Nope, no CGC for Chuck.

I had totally forgotten about the CGC certification for dogs- that is just a term I coined for dogs like my Frosty back in the day before they did that. :lol: I thought at the time that they should have something like that so you could take a well behaved dog to places that were otherwise restricted, but I never imagined that the idea would actually be realized.

Yeah, he's basically a part of me. Everyone always expects to see him with me, as I very rarely leave home without him.

That is exactly how I was with Frosty. If she wasn't with me, people always felt that something was missing.

I still feel badly that he didn't get as much as he deserved. He enjoyed his life and had the run of the farm--but he really deserved a warm bed in the house to sleep on after a hard day's work, a gentle brushing and paw massage while his nails were trimmed after running the pastures, and every person in that full household telling him how special and how loved he was, every minute of the day. But my family were raised to be stoic, practical farmers, and animals had their place. Outside, or in the barn. We were lucky to have a warm bed in the house ourselves, a foot massage was unheard of, and it was understood you were loved so it wasn't said out loud when I was young. I suspect the dog took one look at the rag-tag lot of us and figured it out quickly, but the grown Me still wishes I could thank him and tell him what a joy he was.

I can understand your regret- but I think that you would have insulted his dignity if he was singled out for such praise since the rest of you weren't raised that way.

 

[lonelyfarmgirl]

Very interesting discussion! And it's true. My dogs understand dozens of words and phrases. My mom once had a female standard poodle that I swear understood a huge range of complete sentences. One was what do you have in your mouth? and she would look. Then mom would say, if you aren't supposed to have that, spit it out. She would then drop it if it was a forbidden item or turn around and leave with it if it was hers.
She also understood 'don't chew on that so loud'.

My dober understands alot, but he actively chooses wether doing what I ask or forbid is worth it. One of the first he learned was bring it along ... which is a command for him to carry the item and come. If he doesnt actually want it, he wont. He also refuses to carry things through the garage that are normally not allowed in the garage.

My house cat respond to many things also. I taught him to stay years ago. He also knows stop doing that and stop touching me.