Too Smart
by April B & Noah
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Does anyone have a Maltese that is too smart? I do. This morning, I was running late and realizing that I could not take Noah, I called him to put him in his crate. Well, he always comes, but not today. So I called, "cookie," which usually brings him running. I could see his little nose sticking out from under the bedskirt so I offered the treat, but he wouldn't take it. Well, I dropped it on the floor thinking I would catch him, but he was too quick and snatched that treat up and ate it before I could do anything and quickly pulled back under the bed. After much cajoling, I finally got him. He pouted all the way and gave me the innocent look, you all know the one. Well, when I got home, he could care less when I let him out and virtually ignored me for not bringing him along with me. And to think, I just bought him a new red, squeaky fur bone!
DISCUSSION:
Yes, my Turbo and Diesel are extremely smart.
1) They know where I keep their grooming supplies (which they don't like. It's in the kitchen walkin closet and everytime they see me go in - they hide and try not to move (thinking i won't see them of course). when I walk out - they are both ignoring me and try to avoid eye contact...probably praying the other has to go first.
2) Bath time - they know the horrible event takes place in the garage sink. when I walk out there to turn the water tap on i usually walk back in rolling my sleeves up - as soon as they see me coming like that - they both run for the border and tuck themselves under the furniture - or what's even funnier is that they will run to my mom or whomever happens to be sitting there and jump in their lap and snuggle up reeeeally close - hoping to be protected by the bath giver (me).It's really really funny.
As for trying to trick them with treats - forget it - they always know when something is up.
betty & turbo & diesel
Yeah, my Chico is pretty smart too. He also knows where the grooming supplies are, and runs to hide on the bed when he sees me coming with them. As for bath time, I'm not sure...maybe he's not as smart as I think. [ggg] If we ask "Chico, do you want to have a bath?" He barks like mad, just like he's getting excited about going on a walk. However, once the bathing procedure starts, he's anything but happy!
Oh, I almost forgot. Once, I through out one of his chew bones because it was dirty and old. Two minutes later I found him on the bed chewing on the same bone! He'd taken it out of the garbage can! Solution....the gargage can now has a lid on it. He hasn't figured that one out yet...but give him a while...:-)
Dean and Chico
Yep--my Dusty is a smart little man as well. He is always doing something normal dogs shouldn't know how to do!! I can remember one time, Dusty & my dad were having an intense play session. Finally, Dusty got tired but would not walk in front of my dad to go to the other room--dad had to cover his eyes with his hands!! Only then would Dusty run in front of my dad. Aren't we lucky--these furbabies are not only gorgeous but soooooo intelligent as well!
Steph Diaj
Hey, Snowy's pretty smart too. When I say 'gai gai'(chinese dialect - means taking him out), he would trot to the toilet, do his biz (big or small) on the newspaper and drink some water before rushing to the door to wait for the outing. When I say 'pom pom'(means bathing) or when I take out his towel, he squeezed under sofa or tries to blend next to big oriental vase in living room. He also knows where I store his food and tidbits so around mealtimes, he would stick his nose into the cupboard and sniff loudly, look at me then back at the cupboard. There are many other things that he understands and I feel really blessed to have him and extremely proud that he knows where to go when nature calls cos' most of my friends complained that their dogs can't be housetrained and wants to know how I did it. I'd say the secret is that mine's a maltese and theirs aren't! Hee-hee!!!
Sera & Snowy
A few weeks ago, I posted about how Casey, after we first adopted her, escaped *twice* from a locked crate (by pushing off the metal top) and then jumped right over the baby gates in the kitchen when we tried them next. She's also fond of the garbage, which we store under our kitchen sink. On several occassions, she opened the door and pulled the garbage can out. Shortly therafter, we put a childproof latch on it so that you have to release a latch to open the door completely. But the latch does not keep the face of the door flush against the cabinet. It will allow the door to open about 1 1/2 inches, which is just wide enough for Casey to put her paw through and grab the plastic garbage bag with her claws. She pulled the bag out through that small opening several times before we figured out how she did it (At first, I thought that my absent-mined husband was forgetting to close the door completely.) Obviously, she's smarter than her owners! Now we have to make sure that we tuck the bag into the can and push it to the back of the cabinet to foil her efforts. She's quite ingenious.
Ann S.
Cubbie gets smarter and smarter the older he gets. The minute I put my hand in my purse, he comes running, thinks I am getting my keys out....hahahaha! He loves to go bye-bye. He has done the exact same thing you mentioned. Plus, when it is time for a bath, all he needs to see me get is the hairdryer and a towel and boom, he runs and hides. Even better, mention the word bath, and he perks up looking around to see if that means HIS bath. Sometimes he can hide pretty darn good. Yelling out his favorite treats do not work. He will also fake me out when he is going potty outside. The other day he was in his little yard doing #2. Well, I knew darn well he didn't do #1 and I didn't want to bring him in to the house and have him do it there. So I said, "back into your yard and go pee buster". He trotted back, squatted and lifted his leg a bit for prosterity and trotted back to me with a look that could melt anyone. I flipped him over and noticed that he was dry as a bone in the "wee-wee" area. Then he realized he was caught and had this guilty look. I shamed him and then kissed him. What a dog. He knows who every member of the family is by their name. If I tell him to go see so and so, he will dutifully trot over and expect so and so to scoop him up for some loving. They are such smart dogs!
Felicia & Cubbie
Dear April and Noah, one day last week I was running late to work and it was "time" to separate Mikee and Angel in the kitchen. They each have their own side for privacy when we leave the house or at bedtime. I quickly slide a board between the kitchen bar counter and the refrigerator, making a perfect division of the kitchen area. Well, as I was late, Angel ran from me as she knew I was leaving. So, out of desperation, I grabbed Mikee and placed him on "her" side and made one more trip to the living room to grab my purse. As I peeked into the kitchen telling them the "Bye-bye, Mommie's got to go to work" ritual, I saw Mikee having hard chills and was obviously terrified at being left on the "wrong" side of the kitchen! I grabbed him once again, petted and comforted him and loved him and switched sides. He looked up and me and smiled as if to say, "Wow, Mom, you had us worried...we thought you were losing it!" Annette, Mikee and Angel
Annette, Mikee & Angel
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