[Opal and Helen]

We are always thinking about how we can teach our dogs to have certain behaviors, but our dogs are also teaching us things whether we know it or not!

For instance, my dog has only to touch the door knob of the backdoor to get me to let her outside. She pushes her dishes around on the floor when she wants me to fill them. And she can often get me to play with her by doing something as cute as putting her soft chin on my arm.

What kind of simple behaviors has your dog taught you?

 

[wvasko]

Well for survival we've tried prayer but it's not helping much

 

[petpeeve]

My dogs have actually taught ME a rock-solid beer retrieve.

Always comes after a session of training. OC at it's finest I'd say.

And, of course, I'm more than willing to comply.

 

[Roloni]

My Rottie has taught me.."Not to judge people " upon their physical apperance!

 

[Curbside Prophet]

To crack the door when coming home, to then cue go-to-mat, or suffer death by tongue.

How to sleep on the edge of a bed.

Poop bag retrieval.

 

[cookieface]

That the person who coined the phrase "like searching for a needle in a haystack" never had to find dog poop in a pile of leaves at 5am with a dying flashlight.

 

[Abbylynn]

How to be a great caterer and how to carry them up and down the steps when they are ill.

 

[Elliebell]

All my dog has to do is glare at the remote/newspaper on the sofa and I'll move it so she can lie there. I have no idea when she taught me to do that, but now when people ask, "How smart are poodles?" I tell them, "smarter than me!" I figure if she can train me without me even knowing it, she takes the cake.

 

[GottaLuvMutts]

My dog requires more attention, exercise, and mental stimulation than most. She got me into agility, disc, and now nosework, none of which I'd planned on ever doing. Through these activities, I've learned a ton and made lots of friends. A good dog will turn your life upside down.

 

[KBLover]

Oh sheez, Wally's taught me lots of behaviors. Some highlights:


-Nose-touching me on the leg makes us start walking
-Sitting (or lying down if he's feeling ignored...drama queen that he is) facing a direction while turning to look at me gets me to let him go where he's facing
-Stopping suddenly while walking while hovering over something on the grass makes me tell him to pee on it
-Pawing my foot gets me to start shaping with him
-Doing play bows while slapping paws on the ground gets me to start playing (or scratching his butt)
-Coming and sitting front after he's peed on something means he's really to sniff a new patch of grass
-Looking up at me while walking is his way of saying he smells something he wants to pee on

 

[NewfoundlandOwner]

My Newfie pup Ozzy sometimes finishes a meal and decides he needs seconds. He lets me know this by knocking his bowl around like a soccer ball. He also only cries at night if he needs to be let outside (very rarely happens, though).

So, Ozzy has taught me to feed him and get up to let him out at 2 in the morning.

 

[Tommyk]

Mine uses pawing for everything. She paws at the door if she wants to come in or go out, paws me so i scratch her and paws me if she wants the food im eating.

 

[El Tigre]

In the short time I've had him Tigre has taught me that when he picks up something (ex. a sock) that he's not supposed to have he needs to potty. Scratching him on the chest will make him fall asleep almost immediately...even if he's standing up! Oh, and he's taught me I need to tell him to sit when he starts licking my son's face because (unfortunately) it means he's getting ready to hump him.

 

[Miss Bugs]

that if my dog is climbing on the sink trying to turn on the tap, the water dish is empty lol

 

[wildfire_1982]

Sasha has taught us to never leave table on a "safe" place.. as there is no such place called "safe place" to a Great Pryenees/Golden Retriever Puppy... Also just starring at us while usually get us to "help" her onto the bed to lay in the middle and force us to crowd the edge(worser for my daughter who only has a twin bed, vs my queen).
She has taught us that knocking her food bowl around from the mat in the dining room into the kitchen, means she's thirsty 'n to refil her water bowl*even if there HAD been water in it b4 she did it, lol*..... And she'll paw the food container if she wants 2nds or a snack.
Also taught us to either accept getting licked as a greeting or get licked as a greeting. lol.

 

[winniec777]

We've learned....

....there's a lot of fun to be had with with old towels and an 80 lb dog

....it's fun to make DH run around chasing the dog to get the harness on her when it's time for a walk (we have a circular flow to the downstairs and she can endlessly stay 2 ft ahead of him when I yell, "Run, Poca, run!!")

....boiled chicken and rice is the currency of dogs

....dogs sometimes poop twice, so bring more than 1 bag

 

[wildfire_1982]

we've always learned that dogs do sniff 'n pee wherever a dog did it before them. and i meant that food is never safe on the table. lol.

 

[Avery]

I've learned to never underestimate how high he can jump.

He has taught me that if he comes up to me while I'm doing something (on my laptop, for instance) and attempts to climb on my face, it means he feels he is not getting enough attention.

Well for survival we've tried prayer but it's not helping much

Haha!

 

[stacey101]

Well, its silly but when Koda lies down for a nap he nuzzels his head into his paws or blanket..... I do to now LOL

 

[3doglady]

They taught me how to play "their way"

Leann taught me to pretend to try to grab the tennis ball from her mouth, while she prances around and pretends that I can't get it. (don't know why, but that's her favorite game)
Pebbles taught me how to play freeze tag. (that's her game)
Galaxy taught me how to play "I'm gonna get you" (and that is her fav)

Galaxy taught me how to trust her instincts/body language, and I taught her to trust mine.
Leann taught me to relax and not be so uptight.