Appeasement smiles

[poiuytrewq]

I know dogs smiling isn’t them smiling.
I also know our lab smiles because we have reacted to it.
What I didn’t know, but discovered today was that if my daughter says “smile” all 3 almost do it on command. The (real) terriers are a bit hit and miss, as they are with everything but Spud lab/terrier *he’s not a x, just in his head, does it without fail everytime.
Cecil is full on, yet he has learnt that if I pick up my saddle I’m going out and he can’t come so instantly lies down and sleeps.
I pick up my lap top, he wants fuss (maybe I need to work with my laptop on my saddle)

Why are somethings accidentally taught so easily and others I try so hard and still fail at.

We have had a big recall fail recently and had to go back to a long line, yet we understand “let’s go find the chickens” and “this way”
* that one impresses me, they can all be tearing ahead and I shout this way, they look at me I point and off they go… how the hell did I do that?!

I adore my dogs but I just don’t understand them at all.

 

[ycbm]

I love Cecil!

Alllllllmost as much as I loved Doug.
.

 

[poiuytrewq]

YCBM I love you too for saying that!!
Doug was a real hero

 

[ycbm]

YCBM I love you too for saying that!!
Doug was a real hero

I really wish I'd met Doug, he seemed to me to be really special and a complete one off, just from his photos.
.

ETA Cecil is really gorgeous though!

 

[Clodagh]

If I point at Ffee she smiles. She’s very smiley generally though.
Scout only smiles for appeasement, as before I got him he had some rough handling if in doubt he hangs his Willy out and smiles.
As for directions, if we get to a fork they look at me and I wave the way to go, but I suppose I did sort of train it. Clever things though, dogs.

 

[CorvusCorax]

My young one sleeps upside down, legs akimbo, baring her teeth. It's quite unsettling if I get up in the night and see her pearly whites staring back at me.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I really wish I'd met Doug, he seemed to me to be really special and a complete one off, just from his photos.
.

ETA Cecil is really gorgeous though!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Doug was literally my whole life. Cec fixed the pain of loosing the best boy ever, the dog I didn’t want, then worshipped.
Spud Is his full brother. I think they are the last of the line.

 

[poiuytrewq]

There’s something lovely about dog teeth! *as long as they aren’t coming at you

 

[Love]

Puppy already knows which toy her “pink doughnut” is and will go and grab it to bring you. If you ask her for any others though she just runs around the coffee table at 3000mph

 

[poiuytrewq]

Puppy already knows which toy her “pink doughnut” is and will go and grab it to bring you. If you ask her for any others though she just runs around the coffee table at 3000mph

If only pink doughnut was stay!

 

[Esmae]

Cecil looks so sweet. Look at that little face. It is funny that some things take ages for them to learn. I had a retired greyhound years ago, a charming chap but it took him about a year to understand the "sit" command. He was so thrilled with himself when he finally got it. He was in the dining room at the time. Some while later in the garden I asked him to sit and he looked at me and galloped back into the dining room and sat. He thought he could only do it in there. Bless him, he tried so very hard to please.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Cecil looks so sweet. Look at that little face. It is funny that some things take ages for them to learn. I had a retired greyhound years ago, a charming chap but it took him about a year to understand the "sit" command. He was so thrilled with himself when he finally got it. He was in the dining room at the time. Some while later in the garden I asked him to sit and he looked at me and galloped back into the dining room and sat. He thought he could only do it in there. Bless him, he tried so very hard to please.

Oh my god! I love that, brilliant! Does he sit other places now?

Cecil sits really well and has since a puppy, at puppy classes he learnt recall was to come *straight away (fail) and sit at my feet.
So at the moment when he disappears off at speed and totally ignores me I know that a few minutes later he will appear at the same speed from a completely different direction and sit perfectly looking at me “I’m such a good boy”
Mmmm, shame about the 5 minute delay whilst heading in the wrong direction. The return makes me laugh though!
It’s why he’s back on the long rein for now!

 

[Esmae]

Oh my god! I love that, brilliant! Does he sit other places now?

Cecil sits really well and has since a puppy, at puppy classes he learnt recall was to come *straight away (fail) and sit at my feet.
So at the moment when he disappears off at speed and totally ignores me I know that a few minutes later he will appear at the same speed from a completely different direction and sit perfectly looking at me “I’m such a good boy”
Mmmm, shame about the 5 minute delay whilst heading in the wrong direction. The return makes me laugh though!
It’s why he’s back on the long rein for now!

He did finally get it that he could sit anywhere, but it took some explanation. Such a lovely dog who went over the rainbow bridge some years ago now. A huge gentle giant. We had jackdaws come down the chimney at about 4 am. He was asleep on the sofa in that room. Next I knew he was whining "there's a bird, mother, there's a bird!" He was terribly worried and could easily have caught and killed it but wouldn't dream of it. I caught it and put it outside. He was such a gentle fellow.

 

[misst]

Mine all know "this way" and a point from me in the direction I want, even Ruby who is the thickest JRT I have ever known. Strange as I never tried to teach it really. "Looking" is another one they all know - it means run in the direction I'm pointing as there might be treats/squirrels/rabbits to chase or people they know.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Our lab understands things like that, going to find stuff. On e good day he can find the second shoe of a pair, this depends on the amount of other distractions though! OH often gets a pile of balls and bones before said shoe
I also can’t teach them “quiet” if someone walks into the garden and they all bark madly, unless I say “it’s ok it’s only Mr Poiutrewq” at which point they all shut up and go back to sleep.
I could say that i suppose even if it wasn’t him but I don’t want to ruin it!

 

[TheOldTrout]

Blue knows 'Where's Uncle Trout?', if I say it he runs off to find Mr Trout, or looks upstairs towards Mr Trout's office. If Mr Trout is in the room when I say it, he doesn't do anything, as if he's saying 'He is here, you stupid human'.
I have also taught Blue to expect a treat when I go out. It dates from the last 6 months before lockdown, when Mr Trout was spending a week each month helping to look after his twin granddaughters. I threw a biscuit into the lounge for Blue to chase while I got my couches out through the front door.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Clever! Blue is probably quite pleased over lock down he trained his human to throw biscuits before going out!

 

[TheOldTrout]

Clever! Blue is probably quite pleased over lock down he trained his human to throw biscuits before going out!

I think he is! Luckily he is an active little dog so doesn't put on any weight from all the biscuits.

 

[DSB]

Nell knew if I picked up the car keys,nothing exciting was going to happen
But if I picked up he truck keys ,she would beat me to the door
Minnie disappeared if she saw me get the gun cupboard keys,under the couch

 

[poiuytrewq]

Nell knew if I picked up the car keys,nothing exciting was going to happen
But if I picked up he truck keys ,she would beat me to the door
Minnie disappeared if she saw me get the gun cupboard keys,under the couch

That’s pretty clever! Mine don’t know different keys, they generally accept if I pick up keys I’m going out to work and all lie down.

My old dog Doug knew the lorry key and the lorry was the most exciting place on earth for some reason so that caused much happiness. I think even then I probably mentioned the work lorry rather than him just knowing.

 

[CrunchieBoi]

Best command we unwittingly taught was "No!" which, for our eldest girl, means "don't do whatever it is you're clearly thinking about doing". Wish we could replicate that in the others, but genuinely have no clue how we taught it or if it was perhaps something she'd been taught before we got her. It's probably got more to do with the tone of voice, but it is quite funny to shout "no" and get a dirty look back from ye olde bitch.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I worked for a lady with a yard she bred JRT and had 9 of them all related, they all did the smile showing their teeth thing she warned me about it the first day in case I thought they were growling and snarling.

They did it as a greeting mainly so lots of people got back in their cars pretty sharpish on occasions when they came to the yard

 

[poiuytrewq]

We do know “no” aswell which is a handy one because so far *touch wood even if he’s not coming back to me if I yell no he won’t go through gates etc.


9 smiling JR’s makes me very happy

 

[Unicorn]

Best command we unwittingly taught was "No!" which, for our eldest girl, means "don't do whatever it is you're clearly thinking about doing". Wish we could replicate that in the others, but genuinely have no clue how we taught it or if it was perhaps something she'd been taught before we got her. It's probably got more to do with the tone of voice, but it is quite funny to shout "no" and get a dirty look back from ye olde bitch.

I'm deeply envious! I seem to have inadvertently taught mine that "No!" means "give your human a sly look and do whatever you just thought anyway. Only faster". Generally this involves really stinky mud. I'm trying to educate myself not to say it, but I'm a much slower learner than the dog!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I'm deeply envious! I seem to have inadvertently taught mine that "No!" means "give your human a sly look and do whatever you just thought anyway. Only faster". Generally this involves really stinky mud. I'm trying to educate myself not to say it, but I'm a much slower learner than the dog!

I mean I do get that, just that sometimes it’s correct

 

[Landcruiser]

Neville the sproodle (who is the clever but ignored middle child of our three) seemed to instinctively know "Go away." I never trained it, he just understood. Very useful if they are underfoot, because the terrier follows him away now. Joe the lurcher doesn't, but then he does very little he doesn't fancy.

 

[Clodagh]

Nell knew if I picked up the car keys,nothing exciting was going to happen
But if I picked up he truck keys ,she would beat me to the door
Minnie disappeared if she saw me get the gun cupboard keys,under the couch

Our gun safe keys are in a combination safe. If the dogs hear that safe being opened all hell and madness breaks out.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Neville the sproodle (who is the clever but ignored middle child of our three) seemed to instinctively know "Go away." I never trained it, he just understood. Very useful if they are underfoot, because the terrier follows him away now. Joe the lurcher doesn't, but then he does very little he doesn't fancy.

Mine all know the 'ffff' in FFS and usually begin to scarper....

 

[ArklePig]

I love all these

Mine knows this way that way left right etc but my absolute favourite pointless one is if I say 'fancy a cuddle?' she runs up the stairs, dives under the covers of my bed and waits for me to join her.

On the other hand, she still pretends she doesn't know she's not allowed to eat bones on the coffee table.