You may not be paying attention... but they are....

I've been walking dogs for 7 years now and have been around dogs all my life. We all want our babies to have their manners and basic commands down. We will take the time to teach them to sit, stay, come, etc.... Sometimes it takes some time for some dogs to get it and it can get a bit challenging but with a little patience and persistence, they succeed!

Have you noticed things that you say or do that your dogs get as if you trained them on purpose?

A few years back, my sister was away on travel for a good part of the year and I was taking care of my boy and my nephew. My nephew was on a eating schedule and had dinner every night at 5. We all know that dogs know how to tell time. (Although when we do a time change, they are off the hour but eventually get caught up). Every day at 4:55 Diego would start on me that dinner time was approaching. Diego was one of those that he would get right up to your nose (doesn't touch you but a sheet of paper width apart) and stare at you until you got up to feed him. Meanwhile, my boy Sebastian would sit in the back ground and let Diego do all the work. Dinner time came and I would say "fine" and off we went into the kitchen. Every day I would say fine to dinner or even to go out for a walk, not realizing that they were picking on this word and knew when that was said something was going to happen. I never realized that I was training them with the word fine, until my sister came back, had no idea of this, and one day said the word fine and the boys were at her feet. Uh Crystal......

When I walk my clients we tend to get on a path that we take and some of the neighborhoods would be a cul de sac to where we just walk to the end and turn around. Well, a couple of my clients that I have been walking for a few years now, I noticed I "trained" them with the word "OK". We would be walking and if I wanted to turn around and go back my one girl Binx would do a 90 degree turn to go back the other way. It was something I didn't notice until recently that they picked up on me saying "OK" and knew what I meant by that. Sienna was another pooch that picked up on that as well and to me that is pretty cool.

Another two "cool cats" that I walk, we tend to walk up and down side streets in their hood and when we walk to the end of the street, I would make sure there were no cars coming and say "OK, lets cross". I have been walking these two for a few years as well and had no idea that they picked up on me saying OK, lets cross. The second I say it they are crossing the street with me! Pretty cool...

Dogs are pretty amazing creatures and beyond smart. They are similar to little kids that are learning to talk, very impressionable and will pick up on what you say! Now if they can get sit & stay as fast as they learn "OK, lets cross" we'll be all set! Pay attention and watch what you say around these guys! :)

                                     Monday Funny.....