msjones Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 If dogs are so smart, then why does my neighbor's dog bark at us each and every time we take the trash out? Wouldn't he learn eventually that "it's just those neighbor people again, doing the same thing with the same trash cans, they never make any trouble, so I won't get all worked up?" We are not dog people, clearly. And this dog is badly behaved (he bites, he barks and barks and barks when his owner isn't home, he won't come when she calls him, etc.). But, I would think he would have mellowed out about the trash cans by now. Or, are some dogs just like that? Just wondering. He's a 12 year-old welsh terrier, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 In his mind he thinks, "Look how effective my barking is! I bark and bark and it scares them and they go back inside. Good job! Better keep doing it or who knows what they might do!" Same reason they bark at the mailman. In their mind, it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Barking is fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Well.... not all dogs are smart. I seem to end up with neurotic ones. At least they are interesting. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 My normally well -behaved dog loses her mind every single day when the mail lady comes. She's been with us over 2 years. No mellowing over that particular occurrence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 One of my dogs eats his own poop and that of his brother. . That, in my opinion, is not smart. Ewwww. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 My normally well -behaved dog loses her mind every single day when the mail lady comes. She's been with us over 2 years. No mellowing over that particular occurrence. Mine has it in for the UPS driver. There's something very very suspicious about tossing a box on the porch and driving away. The mail lady is okay though. He still barks, but since he's met her, he's just excited (and he likes women in general). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphus Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 My dog is definitely not smart. Sweet yes, smart...no. That said, I don't think of barking as "badly behaved". Dogs bark, is all. My dog likes to hang out in our big yard we have now, after 7 years of apartment living it's a treat for her. She barks at the neighbors, she has to come in. Yet, she still barks, and I just open the slider to go yell at her to come in and she is already slinking towards the house. She knows she is in trouble for barking. She just can't help herself because, well...she's not smart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 I can tell you are all very nice dog people. (Dog people usually are, I find...) It may also be that I send I-don't-like-dogs-and-I-especially-don't-like-YOU vibes through the fence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 My dog is definitely not smart. Sweet yes, smart...no. That said, I don't think of barking as "badly behaved". Dogs bark, is all. My dog likes to hang out in our big yard we have now, after 7 years of apartment living it's a treat for her. She barks at the neighbors, she has to come in. Yet, she still barks, and I just open the slider to go yell at her to come in and she is already slinking towards the house. She knows she is in trouble for barking. She just can't help herself because, well...she's not smart! This neighbor thinks that if the dog barks, then the neighbors should close their windows and get white noise machines. Plus, he doesn't come when she calls. So, yeah, he's a nuisance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Dogs don't have great distance vision. Also, their eyes are on the sides of their head, not the front like ours, so they see better peripherally than we do but their close up and far away vision is not as good. Our dog always barks at my second son's best friend, even when he is 5-10 feet from the window. We open the door and he barks until he can smell him then he licks his face all over. He loves that kid. He just can't recognize him until he can smell him. Q is always moving (on a bike or running up to the door) so he can't quite ID him. He can recognize our car about a block away though...by engine sound...and he can recognize my in-laws visually by their vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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