OT: The not-stupid Pet Tricks

[wire chief]

While I was staying with friends, I brought my cat. My hosts had a small dog, and the pets eyed each other. After a while each extended a paw toward the other, touched pads and stayed that way. Very moving.
Years later I'm at home with a different cat, who never slept on my bed. One winter night I get under the covers with really cold feet. My cat laid down on top of my feet, stayed while I warmed up.

Have or had you a pet who surprised you some way?

 

[Sonny44]

Great post wire chief, I hadn't thought of this in years.

I had an English Setter one time, a great bird dog. We had a 50 acre farm and I was working on the garden all day. "Annie" must have thought that was pretty boring so she went up the side meadow and chased a woodchuck back into his hole, nothing unusual. But this time she stayed at hole and started to bark. I thought that was kind of dumb, but she just kept barking at the hole. After at least an hour I was so aggravated that I was getting ready to go up there and tie her in the barn for a few years. Before I could get there the woodchuck incredibly came out of his refuge and attacked her. Not to get gory, but she made pretty short work out of him. How she knew and the patience she demonstrated remains a mystery to me to this day.

On a related note I don't think people train their dogs to do useful things or even tricks like we used to when we were kids. These days the function of most pets seems to be to keep the couch warm.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

We are on dogs #5, #6 and #7, not counting a stray we had for less than 2 months over 20 years ago - although I have to comment that the stray (who ran away whilen being dog-sat) was "leash trained" and had to be walked. The other 7 use / used the back-yard.

But to Wire Chief's point - our current middle dog, Penny, a shih-tzu, actually will pick up things and hand (tooth?) them to my wife. Usually dropped pens, or shoes, sometimes odd things like a dropped teddy bear or her own toys. Actually, at her best, she will pick up shoes in the bathroom at my direction and take them to my waiting wife in her closet.

Although our first dog (an American Eskimo named Icebearg) was perhaps our most intelligent dog, Penny is the only one to do anything useful!

 

[RowdyFan]

Our first Golden Retriever, Bear, worked with my husband in Noank Village Boatyard. Bear was the Launch Dog, so he was trained to never ever jump off the boat. Every once in a while, my husband would get a call from a boater who wrapped his prop on a mooring line. CptNed would have to jump in the water to do whatever needed to be done to unfoul the prop..Bear would sit patiently...panting, drooling and whining....but always stayed in the cockpit. our Yellow Lab, Jet, would jump off the end of the dock and swim out after the Launch...who do you think was the smarter dog?

 

[BroadwayVa]

We are on dogs #5, #6 and #7, not counting a stray we had for less than 2 months over 20 years ago - although I have to comment that the stray (who ran away whilen being dog-sat) was "leash trained" and had to be walked. The other 7 use / used the back-yard.

But to Wire Chief's point - our current middle dog, Penny, a shih-tzu, actually will pick up things and hand (tooth?) them to my wife. Usually dropped pens, or shoes, sometimes odd things like a dropped teddy bear or her own toys. Actually, at her best, she will pick up shoes in the bathroom at my direction and take them to my waiting wife in her closet.

Although our first dog (an American Eskimo named Icebearg) was perhaps our most intelligent dog, Penny is the only one to do anything useful!

I've own many many dogs --my favorite 2 breeds are Yellow Lab and Lhasa Apso (a kin to your Tzu). Both extremely intelligent. I bought her for nickles in Puerto Rico--at about 5 or 6 weeks old. We bonded like no others have bonded. She was bought for the kids--yet she ended up each night in our bed room. They have 2 inch slots on the bottom of the doors--one night she yipped loudly-she had grown and wedged herself under the door--until then she could move under the door --mystery solved.
Then 6 months later we went swimming on a Frahardo (sp) primarily Puerto Rician beach. We let her stay on the beach as we went in to neck level waters--she was right there immediately. Frighten we brought her ashore immediately---she ran to dry off up across bathers one of which was a large lady--across her chest one way then back across--we were mortified!! Nearly all our Puerto Rician neighborly bathers laughed loudly--and called her by name Gizzz Mo (Gizmo)!.
On almost every beach around the eastern end of PR and San Juan
every young girl was calling her name--she was popular (as I hoped I was too). Gizmo without training could jump in my arms, hold a rope as I swirled her in circles, as i hauled tarps they got heavy with her weight (8 pounds)--she was fast very fast--it killed her she tried to cross a road darting between cars. 10 year I cried over my loss.
I now own a rescue female Lhasa Apso From Hickory western North Carolina--took her 4 years but she has bonded --still cries in cars and barks terribly--but she is l o v e d !!! 5 Cats own us, one sleeps on my chest then leaves when I sleep (I am told) he is a hymie

 

[BroadwayVa]

While I was staying with friends, I brought my cat. My hosts had a small dog, and the pets eyed each other. After a while each extended a paw toward the other, touched pads and stayed that way. Very moving.
Years later I'm at home with a different cat, who never slept on my bed. One winter night I get under the covers with really cold feet. My cat laid down on top of my feet, stayed while I warmed up.

Have or had you a pet who surprised you some way?

Gizmo or as the Puerto Ricans called her GEEZ Mo. We bought her at a flea market in San HorHay (Georges). She was 4,5,6 weeks old they said 7. We bought her for the Kids but every morning she was in our bedroom. The doors are cut 2 inches above the floor. One night he awakened us with her yips--she was stuck under the door. Mystery solved.
Then 6 months or so later we were swimming in Frahardo (SP) a mostly Puerto Rican beach. We went in and let her stay on the beach--we were neck deep--she was immediately swimming along side of us. Frightened we returned her to the shore. She ran to dry off--a line of 50 feet or more long of mostly middle aged ladies were sunning themselves--she ran right over them across one large woman one way then back across the other way. We were mortified. Everyone on the beach laughed loudly. Many, after hearing us, called out GEEZ Mo.
She was a circus dog without training. Jump from the floor into my arms, hung on to a rope and was twirled around in circles, as I pulled tarps loaded with leaves--she jumped on for the ride. She wouldn't let me back in bed if I left (for the usual reason)--she would protect my wife to the death. She was fast--very fast--she tried to criss cross a road with her speed --
We have 5 cats and a rescue Lhasa apso from Hickory NC--had her 4 years now she's bonded but still cries in the car and barks at strangers and barks and barks. She is LOVED.
My male Hymie cat 6 years old has found me lately--sleeps on my chest, follows me where ever I go. The Rescue (Mozey) and KB (kulla Bear) get along well. Muffet (CD died) is very aloof and a bit snooty.
Peaches, Magic, Lucky (wife saved her sight) are rescue type cats
Muffet, CD, KB were all pure bred Hymies (would expect less of CD?)