Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So I have this long coat shepherd who loves Frisbee. She also listens very well and I am proud to say that I have taught her to "stay" halfway to the Frisbee. She will freeze from full speed with a verbal command and wait for me to release her. It's pretty impressive.
Now comes the weird part. A few months ago she started to slow down while chasing the 3rd or 4th throw. OK, it's obvious that she has picked up a pattern as that was usually when I froze her. So I broke up the pattern, often we would do an entire session without a stay command. Sometimes I would wait until the 8th throw, sometimes the 2nd. But it didn't seem to matter, regardless of when I was about to give the command she anticipated the command and hesitating to go full out. OK I was amused that she continued to guess right almost every time.
But now I swear she can read my mind. Not only is she hesitating on throws I am about to give the command on now when I pick up the Frisbee and even think "I'm going to freeze her on one of these next few throws" she does it then too. The mere thought of giving the command, even when I wasn't about to actually do it, was enough to tip her off I understand dogs can pick up on fear and other emotions. But can they really read my mind when I even think about giving her the freeze command?
We adopted a 12 yr/old GDS/Lab a few months ago, the first GSD mix first us. I am constantly amazed at how perceptive and intuitive she is. Not sure yours is reading your mind, but there must be some sort of signal that you are are unaware of but she senses.
Dogs can read micro-micro-body movements.
I suspect that you are unknowingly signaling your intent to give the freeze command and your pup is picking up on it. In other words, as you are thinking about halting her you may be looking/glancing out to the point where you would freeze her or your mouth may begin to form the word or in some other way your body movement is signaling your thought process.
To us, it seems our dog is precognitive, but in fact, we just aren't aware of all the signals our body is throwing off, and since dogs read our body's micro-movements, they pick up on tiny movements we aren't even aware we are making yet.
Dogs can read micro-micro-body movements.
I suspect that you are unknowingly signaling your intent to give the freeze command and your pup is picking up on it. In other words, as you are thinking about halting her you may be looking/glancing out to the point where you would freeze her or your mouth may begin to form the word or in some other way your body movement is signaling your thought process.
To us, it seems our dog is precognitive, but in fact, we just aren't aware of all the signals our body is throwing off, and since dogs read our body's micro-movements, they pick up on tiny movements we aren't even aware we are making yet.
Yup. It is unbelievably difficult for us humans to *not* transmit our intentions with our body language...even when we try not to...since we are so bad at reading/sending such signals. We are just not perceptive about it from any perspective. And dogs are experts at reading body language. It's like comparing a newborn to a nuclear physicist.
German Shepherd. Yup. I could be sitting in a chair reading a book and think "maybe at the end of this chapter I should go to the store.". All the shepherds would get up and go to the door, ready to leave, hoping to go with me.
And clear a room, you bet, if I thought maybe it had been a long time since I clipped toenails.
Wife also said that I'm tipping her off with some sort of body language too. It does sound like the obvious answer. But I am telling you the last time I was simply picking up the Frisbee and thought for the first time that session about freezing her. Oregon has just confirmed it, my dog is a mind reader. A super human mind reader who occasionally eats her own poop and is too stupid to understand that if she gets a running start it's easier for her to jump into the crate in the truck bed.
Our border collie used to freak out as soon as we ordered food to be delivered. We believed he picked up certain words that we would say into the phone. Then we would try a different room or go outside to order, but somehow he would pick up some kind of vibe & always knew, here comes the pacing & wining!
He has died, but our yorkie did this a few weeks ago. We ordered food (she doesn't freak out or pick up on it like he did) and she was sleeping on the seat next to me. All of a sudden she freaked out & started running around crying...until the food came. I don't know how she sensed it.
Dogs are amazing with their senses, and with picking up on little clues we don't even know we're giving off.
Our border collie used to freak out as soon as we ordered food to be delivered. We believed he picked up certain words that we would say into the phone. Then we would try a different room or go outside to order, but somehow he would pick up some kind of vibe & always knew, here comes the pacing & wining!
He has died, but our yorkie did this a few weeks ago. We ordered food (she doesn't freak out or pick up on it like he did) and she was sleeping on the seat next to me. All of a sudden she freaked out & started running around crying...until the food came. I don't know how she sensed it.
Dogs are amazing with their senses, and with picking up on little clues we don't even know we're giving off.
Was the border collie excited because a delivery person was going to show up or because the dog was getting some of the food?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
