Friday, August 30, 2013

Pooches: When Your Dog is Too Clever

I know people always say they want a clever dog, but living with one now...we're not so sure. We're guessing Miss M has the same IQ as a kindergardener (which is amazing for a dog!) as we've seen her actually think and rationalize before acting. Though it's not always fun to live with a pup who is always plotting and scheming.
Like the time I decided to teach her to 'poo on command' by treating her each time she poo-ed. Realizing she would get a treat each time, Miss M learned to 'ration her poo' and she will go just a little bit, but she now goes as many as three times on a single walk.
Or the time we were bachelorettes together and I suspected that she was sneaking out of my bedroom at night to sleep on the couch then coming back in before I woke up. One night I decided to set a trap where I hid on the sofa under a blanket and prepared to jump up and scare Miss M when she snuck onto the couch. Instead, Miss M never came out and I ended up falling asleep on the couch. Though when I went back to my bedroom I did found some wrinkled bedsheets and a few tell-tale brindle hairs on my bed. But of course, Miss M feigned innocence.
Or when Mr. B first came to live with us and she saw him playing with a toy she wanted. She went to the toy bin, picked a new toy, walked by squeaking it, and when Mr B came over to see the toy she ran over and grabbed his toy. Though now she just outright grabs the toy directly from him.
Is it better to have a clever, or not so bright pup?
Plus:
Remember the time she actually told on Mr B?
And she thought she got away with this?
Fooling the camera.

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Our American Bulldog/terrier mix is the same way! He gets into more trouble scheming than the other guy - a shih tzu who is very sweet but dumb - ever does.

Hannah@Eriesistibull said...

We are definitely fans of the not so bright dogs!! Edison is just like Ms M - he's too smart for his own good! - while Tess is a lot more like Mr B and content with just hanging out with her people.

Emily said...

Every single one of these made me laugh! Funny, I wouldn't say my pups are overly clever... I don't see much scheming going on.

Luv My Rosie said...

Miss Rosie is the same way. I think she is incredibly smart for a dog. I never underestimater her as she always throws me for a loop. She knows the difference between work days and weekend days. She knows when I wear work clothes and non work clothes. She constantly amazes me with her wit, charm and personality.

Heatherkay said...

I call it "farming." Nimbus will do mildly naughty things because he knows my reflex is to put him in a sit and reward him with a treat. I'm starting to catch up with when he's really naughty and when he's farming me.

Anonymous said...

hahahahahaha! I love that she is brilliant! And that last photo of the Mr., makes me really happy!

Corbin said...

Oh, I do love me some Miss M!!! Corbin is quite clever himself, which is why we started the blog to document his mischief and his adventures. One summer he watched Adam open the gate to your back yard... sat there and watched. The next day, he walked right up to the fence and opened it with his nose. Clever dogs definitely keep you on your toes!
-Corbin's momma, Jenn

Froggy said...

Maize is a dumb and anxious dog. I am not sure what is better, a dumb dog or a clear dog but a dumb AND anxious dog is a baaaaaad mix

Trissi_V said...

Laci is very clever too and I hate it. She can get into trouble like nobodies business and it has sent us to the vet emergency room at least once.

Two French Bulldogs said...

Oh my dawg! Mom is laughing so hard. When mom tells us pee pee, sometimes she has to look hard cause we pretend.
Benny & Lily

Maggie said...

YES!!! Cooper is way too smart for us. He's figured out how to open the trash can, how to open cabinets, and he plays tricks on us and the other dogs. We worked with a trainer who was amazed that we could constantly raise the bar and he'd exceed our expectations consistently. If only he'd be as well-mannered as he is smart... Incidentally, do you guys attend the Backer Pet Show in your neck of the woods in September?

Anonymous said...

Oh Miss M... you're brilliant!

Regina Hart said...

Adorable post! The photos were perfect accompaniments to the text. Miss M is such a smartypants!

Anonymous said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE these stories! It's so funny to watch Petey dig through his toy basket, looking for a SPECIFIC toy! One time I came home to find he had removed EVERYTHING out of a very full laundry bag and spread out on my bedspread. But I think that's more determination that the high level of cleverness possessed by Miss. M

maddeelou said...

We a;ways say it was good Maddee was our first dog. After her, every other dog has been a piece of cake. There is a latch on the fridge because she learned how to open it. I would come home from work and the door would be ajar and the bottom shelf would be cleaned out (she was a pbgv). Our cat food is on the back porch. It is separated from the rest of the house by a swinging door with chimes. Maddee would wait until the vacuum was running and then she would go thru the door when I couldn't hear the chimes and clean out the cat food bowl. Once she pushed a kitchen chair away from the table to get to the sandwich I thought was safe in the middle. Unfortunately for her, the angle was such that she couldn't get back down so she was trapped and busted. When I saw her sitting in the middle of the kitchen table, all I could do was laugh. The picture I took when she realized she wasn't going to get into trouble is still one of my favorites.

2 Punk Dogs said...

A friend at the shelter warned me that Duke didn't seem too bright before we adopted him. He gets a blank stare when he's scared, so that was all he did at the shelter. Duke might be smarter than Maggie, he remembers everything that will get him treats!

Kolchak Puggle said...

It's very unnerving to have a dog that is smarter than you! Kol is undoubtedly too clever for his own good. It makes me crazy.

Jacquelin Cangro said...

Oh Miss M, you are a clever one.

Whenever anyone tells me that they want a really smart dog, I think no, you really don't. :)

I have a friend who had a very smart dog. The dog learned how to open the refrigerator, take out a box of waffles, eat them all and then hide the wrapping evidence behind the sofa.

Rachel @ My Two Pitties said...

Ha! Miss M & Mr B remind me so much of Kaya & Norman! Kaya is crazy smart and Norman is for sure on the dumb side:/ I think somewhere in between would be nice but at the same time, it's fun having one of each and observing their differences:)

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