yena Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yesterday, I was laid on the settee with Tillee at one side and Milly on the other, and Benji came to be picked up. I looked at him and said 'How, can I pick you up? I've got Tillee at one side and Milly at the other. If you want to sit with somebody you'll have to go sit with Matthew' To which Benji turned around and walked straight over to Matthew, to be picked up . I just couldn't believe it , he'd understood every single word I'd said. I've always thought Benji could understand what we've said to him and that just proved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Hmm, not sure that's every word, it could be that Benji heard blablablabla blablablabla Tillee blablablabla Milly blablablabla blablablabla SIT bla Matthew Which still contains all the important information! My dogs definitely know their names, our names, and each others names, and the cats names (for that matter, the cats all know each others names too) and I think that can often produce the appearance of them understanding the whole sentence. A lot of what I say doesn't actually contain much information, you can pick up the important bits as long as you can recognise names and tone of voice! Az is hopeless at obeying commands from Mark when I am about as he considers himself to be my dog, but he knows Mark's name, so if I say 'go to Mark' or even 'listen to Mark' he will. My dogs don't do adjectives , but I know some dogs do understand these - I'm always amazed that my mother's dogs can be told to 'get the red ball' or 'get the blue ball' and they will! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 You can specify which toy you want Archie to bring and he'll go and get it and he can sort colours out too. I said to him the other night "don't lie on the sofa eyeballing me when your dinner needs eating, go eat it" and he did! If you ask George what he wants he will go and stand by whatever it is he wants and look at it intently (usually the treat jar) Of the two of them Archie understands lots more of what we say than GeePee. Marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I firmly believe that Archie, Cliffy & Tessie understand every word I say They just choose to ignore some of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I firmly believe that Archie, Cliffy & Tessie understand every word I say They just choose to ignore some of them Henry through and through Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barb Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I am convinced they understand far more than we give them credit for. Things Holly has done without us telling her makes me believe that. I think they play on it too. Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 You can specify which toy you want Archie to bring and he'll go and get it and he can sort colours out too. I said to him the other night "don't lie on the sofa eyeballing me when your dinner needs eating, go eat it" and he did! If you ask George what he wants he will go and stand by whatever it is he wants and look at it intently (usually the treat jar) Of the two of them Archie understands lots more of what we say than GeePee. Marion Indy does that staring thing too. She'll stare at me, then shift her gaze to whatever it is she wants. Over and over again until I get the message. Or she'll run to me, then run to what she wants, back and forth until I get off my lazy arse Monty, alas, isn't quite that sharp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooandboo Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Mine understand loads of words but they pick up so much body language as well; flicks of eyes, the slightest movement of your head and hands etc - I feel like I've been scrutinised by scientists sometimes when they make me aware of gestures I make without realising Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trallwm farm Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Of Course. It helps if they are blue mummy's boys but yes they understand everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I'm sure they hear a lot of blah blah blah especially when being told off Mine know a lot of what I say. They know the different rooms in the house, different toys to go get, they know names of different walks and will head that way. Issie knows what shift your bum means because that's the only thing that works when I want her to stand up and come in from the garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendlewitch Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Jumble knows go left and go right, if he looses his ball I can direct him straight to it. He knows if I say don't pick that branch up, it's 8 foot long and you will kill someone with it, he ALWAYS kindly puts in down in front of my scooter wheels. Jack can be a bit dense and Cecil does not understand any English at all! Well, according to Cecil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I also think dogs understand a lot more than theyre given credit for but I also think it depends on how much of a communicator you are. I constantly talk to my dog, i mutter away to him about not being able to find my keys, about the washing needing to be put on, I ask him what I should have for my tea and even let him choose by pointing to one with his nose or paw He can read every little detail from me from individual words to body language to the way i move my eyes or flick my hair and even the way i smell no doubt. He knows when im having a bad day and agitated, he knows when ive got pmt, he knows when im really happy and he knows when i just need quiet time. Its not just words but the whole way you as an individual react to them and the rest of your family that they learn. Obviously they learn words by association but they also learn other signals you give off without even knowing it to let them know what mood youre in. I think its important as an animal owner to espress yourself openly and not bottle things up because then your pet, and not just dogs cant read you and can become nervous, at least when youre cross they know youre cross and can choose to stay out the way and where they feel safe. For me being a dog owner is like therapy I never bottle things up anymore, i dont care whos watching or listening I always talk to my dog and I know him as well as he knows me just by the look in his eye or the way he is standing. It works both ways, were both unpredictable but we both communicate, he can be a pita some days but at least i see it and know when not perhaps let him offlead in a group etc and that helps us to get into stressful situations very very rarely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissa Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 More than we think! Roly & Snoopy already after just 6 months know peoples names when I say where is or go to so & so , they understand biscuit too & they even know 'tinkle time' which I say when I want them to go out for a wee...or it could be because i'm standing by the back door in the pitch black, with a biscuit in my pocket I do talk to them all the time though & know they pick up on moods and tone of voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irons Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 I think we don't credit dogs with enough as they do seem to understand much more than we think i know a lot of it is body language and tone of your voice but i still KNOW Murphy understands EVERY WORD that i say,well perhaps not all They are a lot cleverer than we think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siani Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 If me and mum are talking about Quinn and say something like 'oh, i'll take him up the back field tomorrow' he will look up when we say 'him', like he knows he's the man of the house. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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