# Do Dogs Think?



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

http://slate.msn.com/id/2127419/?GT1=7125


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Wow that is very interesting reading, but I am not sure I believe dogs don't think. Perhaps not it the way we do but I know there must be some intelligent brain activity there because of the things Scooby does. We can tell him to go get something and he will go get exactly what we asked for. If that isn't intelligent thought then what is it, because we don't ask for the same item each time but something different, he still brings the correct item we have asked for.
Rotties are super intelligent too, I know that because my rottie was very smart indeed and we always called him a thinker. You could practically hear the wheels turnig in his head.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Did you read _The Culture Clash _ when we had our book club? The author makes the same point, that people make the mistake of crediting their dogs with human emotions rather than getting inside their head and understanding how they really think when training them.

Maybe the article should be titiled "Do Dogs Really Think _Like Us_"?


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## abkadefkey (Sep 27, 2005)

That was a fascinating article. Although I'm not sure I completely agree with the author. When we had to give back Baby, Zues sure did look depressed. He didn't eat for a few days. He really didn't move around much either. He just looked so sad. 

They may not think like humans do, but I'm not willing to say that they don't think or only react instinctively.


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

> _Originally posted by LadysMom_@Oct 12 2005, 04:01 PM
> *Did you read The Culture Clash  when we had our book club? The author makes the same point, that people make the mistake of crediting their dogs with human emotions rather than getting inside their head and understanding how they really think when training them.
> 
> Maybe the article should be titiled "Do Dogs Really Think Like Us"?
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=108897*


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You know I reckon Scooby has turned the tables on us with the training thing. If we ask him to come to us he will just sit there and look at us in his normal "you want me come and get me" expression, and like idiots we go to him, unless of course we have something to offer then he will come bounding up to us.
He is the same when we go to take him outside potty, he will sit back and not move till we come to him and walk behind him, like he has to lead the way to the door. If hubby is at the back door calling him he will just sit there motionless, totally ignoring the command and I will say "go Scooby" and off he will go. It's like he has us trained to do as he wants us to do. We both know he can do better and he does when it suits him, I just feel he is training us to do as he wants us to do rather than doing what we want him to do. 
It's the same in the car, if hubby forgets to wind the window down for him he will sit there and woof at the back of his head because he knows who has the control of the window. I know that maybe dogs don't think in human terms but they are pretty darn close, how else would they know how to manipulate us to do as they want us to do....


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## AJ (Jun 5, 2005)

Very interesting aticle, but I have to agree with Janet. I really do feel like Rosie is just like a human, and understands so much. Of course, dogs dont think the same as humans, but pretty close in my opinion.


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## paris'mom (Jul 14, 2004)

I read the same article earlier today! 

Of couse, we all know that Maltese isn't a regular dog...







So I think my dog does think, don't you think?


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## AJ (Jun 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Paris'Mom_@Oct 12 2005, 05:28 PM
> *I read the same article earlier today!
> 
> Of couse, we all know that Maltese isn't a regular dog...
> ...


[/QUOTE]







What I was thinking!!!


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## Caesar's Mommie (Apr 8, 2004)

> _Originally posted by AJ_@Oct 12 2005, 03:53 PM
> *Very interesting aticle, but I have to agree with Janet.  I really do feel like Rosie is just like a human, and understands so much.  Of course, dogs dont think the same as humans,  but pretty close in my opinion.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=108910*


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I agree


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Well look at it this way, our furkids have a memory, they can store commands and if they didn't have an active thought how can they remember the things they do.
Scooby's memory is incredible almost to the point that I forget he is of the canine race. Examples of this are.....He knows where my shoes are in the closet and he knows which ones I wear because he brings them to me if we are going out. If the closet door is closed he will stand there and call me to come open it, then he chooses the correct shoes for me to wear.... The other night he was laying on the spare pillow next to mine at the top of the bed, I quietly said to him to be careful not to fall down the gap between the bed head and the wall, he immediately moved to a safer place....When he wants to go out potty, he now goes to the back room to get his sweater because it is cold out.....if he wants to get up on daddy's recliner he checks to see if he is awake, if not he comes to me and asks me to lift him up, if he is awake he asks his daddy to let him up. These are just a few of the many things that Scooby remembers and if he didn't have a thought in his little brain how could he remember?


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## Quincymom (Oct 17, 2004)

I picked up a great book called 
The Dog's Mind 
Understanding your dogs behavior
Written by Bruce Fogle, DVM
It is a book about understanding the psychology of dogs, just started reading it, starts off with the genetics of the dogs mind. Pretty interesting so far. Maybe we should start the book club again? Anyone else have any book ideas?


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

I think that a lot of other breeds could fall into the category of "not thinking"







but I also think that Maltese are completely different. The reason being is that we humans spend soooooo much time with them that I honestly do believe that their mental/intellectual development is entirely different than other breeds of outside dogs. Like Scoobydoo's mom says, Sassy knows that certain shoes and clothes means that we are going out. She sometimes understands things that really would make one question whether or not she is a little doggie or a human inside that little fluffy body. When she chooses which toy she would like to play with on her on, that is thinking. There are a lot of instances in our day to day life that I know she has to be thinking or she would just lay around like a rug. Also, to be able to associate word with their meaning a little dog has to thing to some capacity. Sassy probably has a word recognition of 300+ words. I truely believe she has to think to know what they mean.


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## AJ (Jun 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Scoobydoo_@Oct 12 2005, 06:29 PM
> *Well look at it this way, our furkids have a memory, they can store commands and if they didn't have an active thought how can they remember the things they do.
> Scooby's memory is incredible almost to the point that I forget he is of the canine race. Examples of this are.....He knows where my shoes are in the closet and he knows which ones I wear because he brings them to me if we are going out. If the closet door is closed he will stand there and call me to come open it, then he chooses the correct shoes for me to wear.... The other night he was laying on the spare pillow next to mine at the top of the bed, I quietly said to him to be careful not to fall down the gap between the bed head and the wall, he immediately moved to a safer place....When he wants to go out potty, he now goes to the back room to get his sweater because it is cold out.....if he wants to get up on daddy's recliner he checks to see if he is awake, if not he comes to me and asks me to lift him up, if he is awake he asks his daddy to let him up. These are just a few of the many things that Scooby remembers and if he didn't have a thought in his little brain how could he remember?
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=108963*


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Awww...that is just too cute! How smart he is!!!


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## Littlemans Mom (Apr 6, 2005)

They may not think just as humans do, but I am certain that our little Malts do think, plan, plot and wrap us right around their little paws







They are the smartest little babies with very good memories as well







I talk to Indy all the time and I swear he is really listening, better than my hubby sometimes


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## miko's mommy (Feb 8, 2005)

> _Originally posted by LadysMom_@Oct 12 2005, 01:01 PM
> *Did you read The Culture Clash  when we had our book club? The author makes the same point, that people make the mistake of crediting their dogs with human emotions rather than getting inside their head and understanding how they really think when training them.
> 
> Maybe the article should be titiled "Do Dogs Really Think Like Us"?
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=108897*


[/QUOTE]

I never read that book but I totally agree that we assign our human emotions to dogs which I don't necessarily think they have. Of course I think Miko is capable of having thoughts but I just don't think they are on the level of human thoughts. As someone mentioned, he recognizes my street clothes versus pj's I wear at home and he looks sort of sad when I leave. But is it just me thinking that he is sad? My hubby thinks Miko understands when we tell him things -- for example if we point to something and say "look over there" or "go get that ball".

Regardless, Miko enriches our lives. I had a rather sad day today and he seems to sense that and cuddle more with me than normally. Of course, that very well may be my imagination!!


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