Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Joke's On Me

There are some things that annoy me but there's one that has annoyed me since I was a kid. That thing is people who say that dogs don't think. These so called experts have obviously never lived with or even spent much time with a dog. Sorry, you so called scientists or researchers, or whatever you wish to call yourselves, you are just wrong.

Dogs think and they feel emotions and they have good days and bad days. They feel love and feel grief. They can be sneaky and silly and they can exhibit guilt. And they have a sense of humor, too.

Portuguese Water Dogs are well known for their sense of humor. We read and heard about it early in our Portie days. Bentley had a crazy sense of humor. He liked to play tricks on people and other dogs.

Tsar liked to play jokes on me. He had several but his and my favorite was one that he often played on dark moonless nights.
Being all black, Tsar would disappear into the night when I let him out for our last call. All the other dogs would come in when I called but Tsar would still be outside in the dark. I would walk into the yard and stand at the top of the hill to call him, but he didn't come and I couldn't see him. I'd call again and again, then suddenly he would nudge me from behind. He had walked around behind me in the dark and would give me a pretty good push to let me know that he was there while I was calling him. After the first time he did this, when I probably let out a yelp, I would always pretend to be surprised and we would walk into the house together, both laughing. He thought it was a really funny trick to play on me and I swear I could hear him laugh.

Last week my Portie girls started playing a joke on me. The four girls sleep in crates in the TV room at night. The first crate is Norma Jean's, next is Bailey's and Tess and Lola sleep together in an extra large crate. They've slept in the same crates since they were young pups. I leave the doors unlatched during the day and when we come in from last call, they each walk into their own crate and stand there till I give them their cookies and latch the crate doors.

One night last week, we came in at bedtime and they got into their crates, but when I went to give them their cookies, Bailey was in Lola's crate. I stopped and said, "That's not your house". She charged out, got in her own crate and Lola walked into hers. I wasn't sure what was going on, so I didn't think too much about it.
The next night when we came in Norma Jean was in Bailey's crate. I shook my head and again said, "that's not your house". She ran into her own and Bailey settled in her crate. Now I knew something was up.
The third night Lola was in Norma Jean's crate. We repeated the ritual and I knew they were all laughing about how they had tricked me.
Tess is a wonderful, beautiful dog. She's sweet and gentle but she's not the brightest bulb. Each of the three nights Tess stood by and watched but didn't participate. Things settled down for a couple days then over the weekend we came in for bed and Tess was standing in Bailey's crate. She was playing, too. I laughed and shooed her to her own crate and gave them all extra cookies.
I'm sure we'll all play this game again soon, maybe they can confuse Rob with it. I know they are all enjoying it and I'm sure I can hear them laughing.

No, you dumb "experts", you are very wrong. Dogs do think.

22 comments:

Two French Bulldogs said...

Your stories really made mom laugh because we pull shenanigans on her too
Benny & Lily

Lapdog Creations said...

Great post! :) The Lapdogs all have their own little tricks and LOL quite often as well!

Marjie said...

That's a funny story. Sometimes Brutus stops and studies things, to try to figure out what's going on; it's been happening a lot with the reorganization of the playroom lately. Even though he's a baby, he is still thinking about things. Thor was a great one for contemplation before action. Dogs do indeed think.

Nicki said...

Every once in a while I find one of mine sleeping somewhere new, just out of the blue.

Jan said...

You are so right.

I love all these modern studies that say "scientists were surprised to learn that..." (dogs were more intelligent than they thought.) Not a single dog owner was surprised.

Dogs haven't gotten more intelligent. The researchers are finally getting smart enough to measure them.

Anonymous said...

We think, ponder and just imagine life, have fun, show sadness, show that we have tempers and don't like having Dad point his finger at us when we do something wrong, and very happy when we make up.

So's just who are these "DUMB" expert, I need to go bite one!

The Mad Scots

Taffy said...

It is funny how each of us has our own very distinct personality. My momma is always telling me that my sister would have threw a fit over something and I'm just so laid back nothing gets to me.....well, unless I don't get a treat when I'm supposed to! I have not played a trick on my parents but I might have to figure out a good one after reading about yours! Thanks for the welcome back comment! It's great to have been missed!

Happy Tails!
Taffy

booahboo said...

Dogs are everything you say they are. They are super intelligent creatures and only people who have actually lived and have lives with them will understand dogs.

Scientists probably just urm.. observe some dogs in a lab ;)

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

We've had several incidents around here....where we dogs have come up with a plan...obviously thinking.

What a great joke the dogs came up with. We think they'll do it more if the get the extra cookies.

XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & roxy

Life with Wrigs said...

Are there actually still people clinging to the notion that dogs don't think or have rich emotional lives?

I loved your stories--especially the one about Tsar.

I think dogs get a kick out of making us laugh. :-)

Susan and Wrigs

STELLA and RORY from Down Under said...

Howdy Sue, great post and funny too! I believe dogs think too. I read a good book called Emma and I about a guide dog and she once got bored of the usual walk to the bus stop and took her owner on a different route much to the owner's confusion. When the dog finally stopped and the owner asked a passerby where she was, the person said, at Bus Stop 2, which was where she was supposed to be!! Yes they can think. It just takes some people a little longer to work it out! No worries, and love, Carol (and Stella and Rory)

Jo's World said...

I love your dog stories, especially with my fave dog Tsar!

When STella came, at night I gave her supper in a stainless bowl next to the stove, then I would take mine into the livingroom to eat and watch the news. I heard a clinking noise, looked down and she had dragged her bowl next to me so we could eat together! Thats thinking!

Cheers,

Jo and Stella

bichonpawz said...

I totally agree with you on all accounts!!! How fun that they all participate in the tricks on you! Even if one lags behind a bit...

I love it and this story made me smile! I cannot even imagine my life without my dogs!

Molly the Airedale said...

You doggies are clowns just like we Airedales are! We're always up for a fun prank too!

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

parlance said...

What a lovely story. My dog, Penny, is quite serious-minded, perhaps because she lives with me (I take life seriously). I would love her to play a joke on me!

SissySees said...

I love it! My dogs think, feel, and in Gretchen's case... tattle.

Tina. said...

Hi Sue! You are absolutely right! I loved the game your girls are playing. HoneyDew has a favorite where she woofs at us and looks at the door like she wants to go out. Will even take a few steps in that direction. Then when my husband gets up out of his easy chair to let her out she makes a beeline for the chair and settles herself like a queen. The look on her face is priceless, as if to say "I can't believe you are still falling for that one!"

Kerry said...

Absolutely, positively they do think!!! I love this story of your porties playing tricks! This is the most endearing thing about pwds. Eddy loves to play jokes on us & he is totally aware of what a laugh is; he tries hard to make me laugh.

ElleC said...

Oh yes, dogs do so have emotions and moods. My Karma (aka Karmageddon) does NOT like mornings, ever. You can't pet her, talk to her or pick her up before 10 am, or she will growl and occasionally snap at you. After 10 her sense of humor returns and she is fun and a joy to have around. Stupid experts.

gMarie said...

I love the Tsar story. I bet you could hear him laughing. That's a funny one.

What happened to the picture in your header? I miss it. Glad they girls are showing you their sense of humor. fun times at your house. g

soulbrush said...

How stupid THEY are,dogs are highly intelligent and sensitive and emotional. Snuffles 'feels' and knows when I am unwell and she mirrors me in every way. She 'talks' to me with her eyes and her paws and her voice, she is more intelligent than a lot of people I know- so there!!

Anonymous said...

Actually there are quite a few people studying canine behavior who are not “stupid.” Alexandra Horowitz, Brian Hare, Marc Bekoff, Patricia McConnell, Raymond Coppinger, James Serpell, John Bradshaw. And the list goes on.