Dogs do the darndest stuff!

[Brian McMillan]

I saw this thread on another BB and thought it made for some good reading and some good laughs. I'd like to hear some funny, interesting, embarrassing stories from folks on this board, either from trialing or training. I'll start by telling one of my own stories.

We, my chocolate lab and I, were at a hunt test last year and he breezed through the land serires. When I saw the set up on the water series, and how easy it looked, I just knew that a pass and points toward the all important tiitle were in the bag. Unfortunately, my dog had differnet ideas.

The test was run on a small pond that was divided by a fence running down the middle; on the test side was open water, on the other side of the fence, the water was covered with reeds, catails, grass, etc. Only the top foot of the fence was above the surface of the water.

Looking straight out from the line, the holding blind that hid the birdboy and bucket of ducks for the blind was to the left. The blind was planted directly in front of the line about 40 yards, about two yards from the fence. The next part of the test was an easy double off to the right. I confidently lined my dog up with the blind and sent him. He swam straight for a few yards then began to veer off to the right. I stopped him and decided to give him a straight back cast then give him an over when he got level with the duck. He took the back cast, when he got even with the duck, I blew the whistle to stop him for the over. He ignored the whistle and swam right for the fence. he tried a few times to get over the fence and when he couldn't, he turned left and swam along the fence, right past the duck he just about ran into it. All the time, I'm blowiing the whistle, trying to stop him. He just kept on going till he found a hole in the fence. He cliimbed through the little opening and then proceded to hunt the other side of the pond. Finally, he decides to come back to me but got stuck trying to climb backover the fence. I watched him struggle for a few moments and decided he might drown, if I didn't help him. Just as I was ready to set the gun down and rush to him, he untangles himself and gets back over the fence. As soon as he gets over, he sees the birdboy behind the blind, runs over there and grabs a duck out of the bucket. He runs the bank and drops the duck at my feet, looking up at me, 'wasn't that fun!"

At the time, I didn't think it was funny at all: all the training and hard work seem like a waste of time. but when I phoned my wife that evening to tell her what happened, she lost it. When she started laughing, I had to laugh along with her.

[Kerry Webster]

Hi Brian,

I have a little story to tell here which is amazing rather than amusing.
Years ago, before I got hooked on retrievers, I had a Dalmation named Preston. Now Preston was a pretty smart Dallie, but I had not idea how smart until what happened one day.

I swear this is true !!

One day Preston came to me and looking straight at me, said, "Ro-ro". This wasn't a bark or a growl, it was almost like he was trying to talk.
Anyway, he said this a couple of times at me, and I spoke to him asking him "what do you want ?". Again, "Ro - Ro".
Well, I was mystified as to what "Ro - Ro" could be, so went to the kitchen, presuming it must have been a food related request.
I then proceeded in holding in front of Preston a piece of cheese........., a piece of meat...........both getting ignored, and again Preston insisted on his "Ro - Ro".

Last resort...............dog biscuits. And this time as he saw I was getting some biscuits for him he became excited and began saying, "ro- ro, ro-ro"., several times over. This was what he was after.

Amazingly, this dog knew exactly what he wanted, and, had a "word" for it. He only did this once, but it remains one of the best stories I have about how smart a dog can be.

Kerry

[Brian McMillan]

Kerry;

I think dogs, at least most of them, are smarter than we give them credit. I must say those must have been some tasty "Ro-Ros" for the dog to pass up meat and cheese! Nice story. I have a similar story about my lab, the same one that lost his mind at the hunt test, that shows dogs are capable of multi dimenison thought.

I was preparing the meal for the dogs on the back porch. My lab was there eagerly waiting for his bowl; one of our cats was a few feet away at the door, waiting to be let in. Bosco, the dog, taought himself that he can often open doors by pushing on them with his head. He kept glancing at the cat, finally went over and let the cat in and came back to resume his begging. He is either one considerate dog, or he wanted to eliminate the competition for his food.

Brian

[Teresa Parkinson]

I recall one particular incident too. It has always stuck in my mind.

I was out training with my young dogs one day using pegs, leads, gun etc. Once I'd finished, I was packing up all the gear while the dogs had a last minute wander. I suddenly realised that I'd dropped a brown leather lead and correction collar somewhere among a veritable sea of tussock. They could have been anywhere! I searched high and low, cursing and swearing at my stupidity, but without success. At some point I looked up to see Meg, my young lab bitch, emerge from the cover with lead and collar in her mouth, looking proud as punch!

Now try telling me they don't understand every word we say........

Teresap