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Helena54
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Location: South East UK
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29-09-2011, 12:36 PM
No, I beg to differ I'm afraid, coz I know my dog understands certain words. No matter what I'm doing, if I'm sitting down at the puter or the telly, or just walking about and I mention the word "daddy" in a sentence, she's off like a shot to the back door expecting him to walk through it, and she wouldn't do that if I said any other word.

If she doesn't want to come in from the garden in the evening, if I say the word cheese, she zooms in and sit by the fridge door!

She's always getting her ball if I ask for her BALL, but when I say "bone", she gets her bone because she knows it will get stuffed with something, but she could quite easily bring me a blooming ball again purely because of the same tone of voice I am using to ask her to do it, so again, she understand and differentiates between her ball and her bone (kong)
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Jenn~n~Luke
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29-09-2011, 12:42 PM
Whether science supports it or not I will always believe that Luke at least has a huge grasp on words and their meanings, and not just how they are said either. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that since day one, he's been literally at my side, listening to every conversation I've had whether on the phone or in person. I talk to him constantly throughout the day, and night. In fact, I talk more to Luke than I do anyone. But the other day kind of blew my mind and only reinforced the idea that he totally "gets" a lot of things many dogs don't..when I was putting him out to pee.
I'm standing there holding the door open and happen to notice chickie, one of his favorite toys, is out in the muck. So I very offhandedly and casually say "Ok honey go pee, and bring Chickie back with you when you come in". I close the door, go about my business for a few minutes and when he knocks at the door to get back in, what does he have in his mouth but his toy, muck and all!
This wasn't given in command form, in a happy "go get your toy" form. This was no different than if I was passing you in the street and said "nice weather", or, "it's going to rain today". Yet he knew exactly what I had said and responded to it.
I could name a hundred other incidents that have happened over the past 2 years.
I think we underestimate dogs and other animals all the time. The fact is, until we can literally sit down and have a conversation with them in our own language, until we can pick their brain and ask them all the questions that we wish to know, there will always be things we do not know, or things we think we know that are far from reality. Luke shows me every single day that he has an understanding of things no other dog I've had or ever met has. I am grateful for it, and try not to pick at it too much. After all, why pick at a thing that only makes our relationship and bond that much more intense and close?
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Dolce
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29-09-2011, 12:53 PM
i think its just sounds they recognise too, so the sounds that make up the word "ball" or whatever will be what they react to, not the word really. Like her name is said in a variety of ways, whether shes been a good girl Maddie, or naughty maddie. She knows the difference.

Maddie is very alert to her collar, lead, dinner bowl being moved.

Putting on shoes gets her curious, just in case shes getting out.
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Sosha
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29-09-2011, 01:15 PM
Originally Posted by Dolce View Post
i think its just sounds they recognise too, so the sounds that make up the word "ball" or whatever will be what they react to, not the word really.
That's what words are - sounds that have meaning No?

Dinner and breakfast are on the lodger's radar - tone of voice not relevant.
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SLB
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29-09-2011, 01:16 PM
Sadie and Louie will cock their heads and do things at certain cues - I've only done Louie's below though. Benjie will only respond to "Walkies" or his lead/car keys being picked up.

Louie runs to the front door/ windows/ dining room if I say:
Daddy
Grandma
Leanne
Din dins
Training

Runs to the back door if I say:

Bunnies
Birdies
Ballie

Gets excited when I:
Go near the coat rack with his collar and lead on
Put my shoes on
Open the freezer/fridge
Go near the back door
Pick up the keys
Hear the treat bag zip

Will wake up from a deep sleep if I:
Pick up his whistle and clicker
Lift the food barrel lid up

Anything of the list which is said - in any voice/tone he will still respond.
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Dolce
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29-09-2011, 01:20 PM
[QUOTE=Sosha;2360495]That's what words are - sounds that have meaning No?
QUOTE]

yes they have meaning to us, no?

they wouldnt give a monkeys if the word for walkie was bahookie if it was used consistently, i still think its tone of voice, routine imo.

We call maddie furry pants in the house which as its never directed as her, she has never picked up an association to it.
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Trouble
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29-09-2011, 01:45 PM
Obviously they recognise the sound of ball but that's then expanded to where's your ball, or pick your ball up, put your ball away, they don't run through their repetoire until they find the right option they just follow the instruction, so sounds, commands whatever they know the difference, language is after all just a collection of sounds and they understand us just as we understand their different sounds, it's called communication. Some people may always use the same tone when giving commands and that's all their dogs will understand, others may use a variety of tones for the same commands and the dogs will still know what's being said. Some people apparently only ever use 4 commands others probably use 10 x that. Some people will insist you only use one word commands so as not to confuse the dog, I have never used one word commands and my dogs are far from confused. Each to their own I guess.
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Wozzy
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29-09-2011, 01:53 PM
I believe dogs do understand words although I believe they fail to differentiate between words that sound the same.

I can say the word "dinner" in different tones, volume, pitches etc and all 3 dogs respond the same. I've tried it with other words too like sit, down etc.
I can use the word "toy" or "ball" in varying ways in a sentence and they'll pick out the key word and immediately understand that something is going to happen with that object. It appears to be situational too. Generally, the dogs toys are not accessible by them so when I say "do you want to play with a toy?" they run over to the toy box, understanding that i'm going to fetch one for them. If we are out and we have a toy and one of the dogs drops it and walks off, i'll say "where's your toy" or "find your toy" and they know they are to search for the thing they've just been playing with.

I think sometimes we fail to give dogs enough credit for their intelligence.
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Kerryowner
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29-09-2011, 03:36 PM
I agree with Claire and Daisy's cartoon as I try to say this to my Mum as she tells me that the dogs understand everything she says to them!

She gets annoyed with me when I ask her to use the correct training work (ie "OFF" instead of "DOWN" if Izzy is jumping up at her) and every week she tells me what she has said to them and how they understand every word!

Jamie has this very bad joke he does with Parker. It goes as follows-

Jamie "What is your favourite Star Wars character Parker? Is it Obi-wan, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker (etc etc..)"

No response from Parker

Jamie "or is it the WOOKIES?"

Cue excited wuffing from Parker!
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rueben
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29-09-2011, 03:51 PM
I'm certain they do understand well used word as well as commands. In case wiggy ears are listening I sometimes spell out particular words to O/H such as WALK but it may not be walkies time so I don't want ears pricking up. I'm not sure that they can string a sentence together but one or two words they pick up on just as they can become quite deaf when it suits
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