Posted on 02/07/2013 8:02:45 PM PST by Altariel
Just about every dog owner is convinced their dog is a genius. For a long time, scientists did not take their pronouncements particularly seriously, but new research suggests that canines are indeed quite bright, and in some ways unique. Brian Hare, an associate professor in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University, is one of the leading figures in the quest to understand what dogs know. The founder of the Duke Canine Cognition Center, Hare has now written a book, “The Genius of Dogs,” with his wife, the journalist Vanessa Woods. Hare answered questions from Mind Matters editor Gareth Cook.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...
Such a very wonderful looking dog. His face is so warm and intelligent. It holds an expression of such faithfulness. So sorry you lost him at such a young age. I am sure The LORD is watching over him for you.
Thanks, Larsen was a very smart and faithful dog. He really liked to ride in the SUV and to go with me when I cut fire wood.
Even your kids won’t look where you point until they are taught. Try it with your dog. :o) Even an eye gesture can make them look in that direction.
I did some checking, via search and while lasers are used to teach retrieve and some K9 commands, there is a lot of negative information out there. evidently, because the light has no reality and is not a target they can relate by touch or smell, it can induce obsessive-compulsive behavior and even train them to go after lights, like those on cars.
I briefly tried one of the retrieve techniques, shining the light on a specific toy. No deal; he would nose the toy and even pick it up, but he wanted the light and dropped the target toy to go search. I could see where he could become obsessive about it.
Anyway, wanted to pass on the info to everyone. Just search ‘laser training for dogs’. The videos for Assistance Dogs are interesting....maybe not for a puppy, though.
Back to voice and hand training.
Sorry! Lips are henceforth sealed!
“And that’s when the whip came out-—but it was SO worth the punishment to see the look on her face.” -— Odhinn
;)
Since we don’t have jackals or hyenas, nor wolves this far south- coyotes will have to do.
They are holding their own at present, as are the bikers.
I’m not far from Lake Perry...
I enjoyed this article and the comments here. I do think some breeds are smarter and some mixed breeds may be smarter than purebreds.
I also believe dogs are like people, some are just smarter, more loving, or more agressive, depending upon the individual. We KNOW that is true.
I wanted to see how this thread ended up and saw your post.
I didn’t know what Black Aggie was. What a cool sculpture and history.
I have to admit I googled because we have a college that is referred to as The Aggies (Tx A&M). All I could think of was..Oh, no what have they done now!!
Turned out to be a learning experience.:)
Is that not just the most awesome tale of intrigue, greed, treachery and horror you can imagine?
I don’t know who would be stupid enough to actually sit on her lap to see if she’ll kill you but lots of people have tried it.
[some “successfully”, if you belive the tales]
I *love* stuff like that.
Cemeteries are quite amazing places.
There is an entire ‘lexicon’ of the symbolism on stones.
Very specific and uniform and I enjoy ‘reading’ the back story written on them.
This is a brief but decent beginner course on the language of the stones
http://www.graveaddiction.com/symbol.html
when we played with tcat using it, I expresssed that exact concern.
Watching him psychotically chase it seemed a bit cruel to me and I said to hubby that it wouldn’t take much to make a cat OCD or insane with one of them.
Apparently he took that to heart because I can’t find it, now.
We checked the pup’s response to subtle viusal stimuli with it a couple times and it outlived its usefulness, I suppose.
We have substituted a treat ball. When it gets *lost* for a while or he gets tired of it, he just goes on to something else. With the laser, he was checking all over for it and ignoring everything else for way longer than is normal.
One of the articles I read, I think Cesar Millan,suggested the light always begin and end at your toes. That way, the dog has a bit of structure and closure with it. OTOH, then he is fixated on pawing your shoes.
The whole thing may just be overblown. K9 and service dogs are trained to retrieve and advance using laser light and they are not obsessive-compulsive. My dog has a high prey drive, so that may be a factor.
Subtle hand clues: our pup becomes alert, focused and interested the moment hands go into pockets because pockets contain treats.
I knew and loved three Dachshunds over the course of my childhood and teen years. I wouldn’t call them dense at all, they were intellignet in their way but were very driven. Loved, and I do mean loved *their* people, fiercely protective. Not so good with strangers. An absolute beast with any sort of vermin, mice, chipmunks, groundhogs ... and snakes.
Those goofy little short-legged weiners had the heart of a lion, every one of them. The first was killed trying to fend off a group of larger dogs crossing the yard while we kids were outside playing, just shot across the yard and launched himself at them like a missile. We couldn’t separate him from them, we tried. It was very traumatic. We still remember his name and miss him. Fritz.
The second, we adopted from an elderly couple. Shotzi. He appeared deceptively sedate, a little on the tubby side. We loved him as well, but he was getting on in years when he came to us. We still remember his name and miss him.
The third we named in honor of the first. Fritzi. I was closest to him and he was the “smartest” I suppose, but that might have been because he had opportunities the others didn’t. He had his toys, knew them by name and color. He was our first inside dog. He slept in the bed with me.
He survived launching himelf at the throat of a Great Dane that had come into the yard and growled at my sister. We were grateful and relieved to find out from the vet that the Dachshund was bred to pursue badgers into their dens and kill them, that’s why they can be so fierce, that’s why they’re so driven to pursue vermin that den or nest underground, and that’s why the Great Dane didn’t kill him, slinging him around while clenched in his jaws. Loose skin, bred that way to survive mauling by a badger. He looked hideous and near death. Forty stitches and he was almost good as new.
A rattlesnake got him. Bit himright on the nose. He died in my lap on the way to the vet. Had the snake bitten him anywhere else, he likely would have survived. We love and miss him, too. I acquired a lifelong hatred of poisonous snakes from thwt incident, found the one the bit him and chopped it to bits.
That’s my Dachshund story. They’re not stupid, they’re just driven to the point of hardheadedness.
You’d love Howard Street on Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks. Lined with old family cemeteries, paved with loose oyster shells and cocquina. Sheltered by live oaks draped with spanish moss.
It’s not a big village at all but has become a very popular summer destination, park your car once you get there from the ferry landing. It’s walkable, bikable or for the less athletically inclined, rent an electric golf cart.
Wacky old place, still a functional fishing village but I’d say it’s somewhere between Key West, the way certain parts of coastal California used to be, and a strange little corner of New Orleans, lol. Very laid back.
Ghost tours and such, with the most noted being to take a boat out to nearby Teach’s Hole under a full moon. Slap an oar on the water and Blackbeard’s headless body will materialize and swim around the boat, or so the old tale goes, lol.
http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2009/04/cemeteries-map-key.html
Thanks for that list. I had no idea of the symbolism. I’ve printed it off for future reference.
The best book I’ve found, so far, if you want even more symbols and further details.
Thanks again!! I just ordered it.
I don’t necessarily go in search of cemeteries...but if I’m out on a road trip and see a place that looks interesting, I stop. Some of the old rural cemeteries have yielded some really interesting finds. Nothing prolific...just interesting. I can remember seeing some of the symbols on headstones but didn’t know what they meant. This will help.
Canine Intelligence List
Ranks 1 to 10
Brightest Dogs
Understanding of New Commands: Less than 5 repetitions.
Obey First Command: 95% of the time or better.
1 Border Collie
2 Poodle
3 German Shepherd
4 Golden Retriever
5 Doberman Pinscher
6 Shetland Sheepdog
7 Labrador Retriever
8 Papillon
9 Rottweiler
10 Australian Cattle Dog
Just sayin... :)
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