Do Your Dogs Point At Things They Want?

[jetcitywoman]

It seems that a side effect of giving Capri basic obedience training is that she learned how to communicate with us. We haven't taught her to point, only sit, down, very basic things. She almost immediately started using a very pretty sit to beg for things she wanted. (It's cute as the dickens!)

 

I used to sort of get the feeling she might be pointing at things with her nose. Now I'm sure of it. Last night after dinner, we were putting our plates in the kitchen. I was holding my dirty plate at chest height waiting for DH to move out of the way. We had pork and it smelled really yummy. She'd followed us into the kitchen with bright eyes and ears half cocked and staring at my plate. She reached up and touched the edge of my plate with her nose, then dropped into a sit. Stood up, touched the plate again, dropped into a sit. She did that three times because mommy was giggling like a mad fool at how adorable she was. But I was blown away too. That was the first time that she was very clearly telling me what she wanted.

 

Mommy, can I have THAT? <point>

Please? <sit>

 

Anybody else have seen their dog do something like that? It won't be much longer before she's telling us when Timmy falls in a well.

 

(I gave her a tiny piece of pork for being so brilliant and cute. I'm a HUGE sucker!)

[jenners]

How smart is she?! I love it! Dogs are one of the very few animal species known to understand what it means when a human points to something. Even primates can't do it; it's theorized that it's due to the tight bond domesticated dogs have developed with humans. But now here's evidence that humans understand what it means when a dog points to something

 

Jennifer

[jetcitywoman]

You're right!

 

And not just smart, but she's SO polite, too!

[Time4ANap]

Yup - Rocket goes to his leash which is hanging on the wall and puts his nose against it when he thinks it's time for a walk instead of just a turnout. He will also go to the car and put his nose on the back door if he thinks it's been too long since he had a ride in the car. These are regular occurrences around our house, but they are still funny every time.

 

If I'm making a sandwich he will do a sit when the lunchmeat comes out, because we alsways make him sit before he gets a treat = so now he automatically shows up at lunch time to help me make my sandwich.

[Guest Jubilee251]

Not point, but Molly also comes to us and does a sit when we are holding something she really wants. The other day, my husband picked up the cat and she immediately came over and sat for him. (Note: she is completely cat safe. No idea what that was about!)

[Guest krystolla]

Yeah, us humans tend to think that training involves us telling them to do stuff. Actually it's them figuring out how to get treats out of us.

 

The golden retriever I had as a kid used to go through his whole repertoire of tricks whenever we got out a good treat. No time to wait for an actual command, how about sit-down-roll-speak-fetch-jump-sit-jump-speak! I taught Hack, my grey, "touch" as in "touch my hand with your nose" because it was the easiest thing I could think of to start with. Now he pokes his nose at my hand to get my attention, just in case any moment should pass where I'm not thinking about him.

 

I've read that cats and dogs will actually tune their behavior to whatever works best to get what they want from their human. Change vocal tones, body language -- experts at getting their point across (or manipulating their audience).

[Guest Greytluv]

My Danger dog points to where the chicken strips are kept

[Guest shanesmom]

Smart girl. Elton doesn't point but he does take bows while we are eating.

[Guest wmlcml6]

Capri sounds like a cutie pie, for sure. And smart!

 

We have some dogs in the racing kennel that kind of point. When we are giving out milk bones after last potty break, we stick the bones through the front of the crate. Some will eagerly take it so it never hits the crate floor. Others will look at me, and kind of tilt their head down as if to say "drop it, lady". If I don't do it right away, they'll look me right in the eye and tilt their head down again. So it drops, and then they grab it. I love these dogs.

[jetcitywoman]

They seem to use their nose almost like a finger, don't they? Capri touches us with her nose a lot, soft little touches on the hand or back of the leg as she follows us around the house. When she's anxious for her morning walk and Daddy is lingering overlong (in her opinion) over breakfast, she'll poke him in the ribs and roo at him. He always frowns and laughs at the same time. She doesn't poke me like that, so I don't know what it feels like but he says she sometimes pokes him pretty hard.

[racindog]

Slim would do that! He would jsut walk over to the cookie jar or food bowl or whatever and then touch it with his nose-clearly telling me he wanted it. I loved it!

[Mystella]

I've noticed that within a few days of being with us, Jeffy started touching the door to the garage (the way he goes to the yard) with his nose whenever he wants to go out. He will walk up to it and poke the doorknob with his nose. I keep thinking I should hang a bell there, he would get the idea no problem.

 

He does the same thing with his 'treat drawer' when we come back from walks I usually give him a cookie, so now if I am too slow getting my shoes off etc he walks to the treat drawer and pokes it with his nose

[Guest MyBoys]

I love it, these dogs are just so darn SMART.

[Guest larock]

Roodie is our first real pointer. He will actually touch the item he wants with his nose, a few times if we don't take the hint. We've not trained him to do anything really, he's a natual pointer I guess.

[JaneW]

Nope! Greta comes and looks at ME and I have to guess what she wants. I usually default to first trying to let her out, since, if she needs to go badly enough to ask, I'd better do it!

[Guest jupiterooos]

Jupiter doesn't point, but he will look at me, then look at whatever it is that he wants, and then a significant look back at me. Angler hasn't gotten the hang of indicating his desires, he just stares at me - yet more proof that the brown one is a lot smarter than the white.

[GreytNut]

Raven doesn't, but Tiny will drop into a sit when he spots something he really wants. Then he will fixedly stare at it to get his point across. If I fail to yield the desired item, he will lie down. Then he will sit up and offer a paw. Then he will stand on his back legs. If none of this works, he will run through his repertoire again, desperately trying to find some trick that will be the "magic" one which scores him the desired treat/toy as a reward.

Edited May 8, 2010 by GreytNut

[kickchick2000]

Milky Way will point , stare at things and then look at me and go back an forth, until I get the message. Most common things are leashes, snack drawer, or the back door.