Each morning, Jim carefully prepares his cappucino. (Decaf since the
gall bladder surgery got him unhooked from the hi-test.) Each morning,
Jim pours a little of the watery steamed milk into Cubbe's food bowl.
This morning I watched the proceedings.


Cubbe heard the ever so soft noise of the milk going into her bowl. She
got down from her position on the couch, stretched, wandered into the
kitchen and noted the milk. She didn't drink it.


I noted to Jim that she seemed to hear the milk being poured though it's
scarcely audible. He nodded that she always does that. He further
noted that she watches him for signs that going outside is imminent.
She won't drink the milk until he puts biscuits and bags in his pockets.


I think she's figured out that she's uncomfortable needing to pee if she
drinks the milk too soon before a walk. It's not like she can't always
ask us to go out. When she does that, she's outside within the minute,
but I'm getting the idea she doesn't like to ask. Or maybe she likes to
have enough pee to mark? Either way, it's somewhere between fun and
creepy to have a dog making such careful observations on the odd habits
of humans.


--Lia

In article ,
Julia Altshuler wrote:

I think she's figured out that she's uncomfortable needing to pee if she
drinks the milk too soon before a walk. It's not like she can't always
ask us to go out. When she does that, she's outside within the minute,
but I'm getting the idea she doesn't like to ask. Or maybe she likes to
have enough pee to mark? Either way, it's somewhere between fun and
creepy to have a dog making such careful observations on the odd habits
of humans.

Dogs are *always* making careful observations on our habits. It's a
survival skill for any domesticated animal that lives as closely with us
and depends on us as much as dogs do. It goes along with the idea that
you are always training them *something* whether you meant to or not.
--
boss, sometimes i think | kevin michael vail
that our friend mehitabel |
is a trifle too gay |
-- archy | wotthehell wotthehell

"Kevin Michael Vail" wrote in message
...

It goes along with the idea that
you are always training them *something* whether you meant to or not.

Yes. I have expended varying amounts of time and energy to actively train
dogs over the years. Some dogs maybe are observant enough that they require
little effort on my part, or even no active effort to train, and they "get
it."

flick 100785

Now my Buddy is just the opposite he's such an odd ball. First thing in the
morning he will run outside and sit on the porch while the other dogs go do
their business. When they come in I feed everyone. He eats then he runs to
the door to go out and do his.........LOL.

Celeste


"Julia Altshuler" wrote in message
. ..
Each morning, Jim carefully prepares his cappucino. (Decaf since the gall
bladder surgery got him unhooked from the hi-test.) Each morning, Jim
pours a little of the watery steamed milk into Cubbe's food bowl. This
morning I watched the proceedings.


Cubbe heard the ever so soft noise of the milk going into her bowl. She
got down from her position on the couch, stretched, wandered into the
kitchen and noted the milk. She didn't drink it.


I noted to Jim that she seemed to hear the milk being poured though it's
scarcely audible. He nodded that she always does that. He further noted
that she watches him for signs that going outside is imminent. She won't
drink the milk until he puts biscuits and bags in his pockets.


I think she's figured out that she's uncomfortable needing to pee if she
drinks the milk too soon before a walk. It's not like she can't always
ask us to go out. When she does that, she's outside within the minute,
but I'm getting the idea she doesn't like to ask. Or maybe she likes to
have enough pee to mark? Either way, it's somewhere between fun and
creepy to have a dog making such careful observations on the odd habits of
humans.


--Lia

I think I'm most surprised by the idea that Cubbe might be making the
connection between drinking and the need to pee. Those are linked, but
there's so much time between them that I'm surprised that a dog would
put them together (if that's what she's doing). She drinks water when
she's thirsty, but giving her tasty milk might seem like forcing her to
drink, then forcing her to cross her legs. Instead of falling for the
trick, she does the timing for herself.


--Lia