Topic: Do Dogs Barter?

[PurpleHeather]

We adopted a dog of unknown parentage and age last August from a Strays Shelter.

It was not long before we found out that he was 'pretty bright'.

Any ways...........Now that we have had him a bit, and there is some rough land near where we live we  have started to let him off the lead.

Seems he is a good rabbit hunter and has caught a few.

He eats the top half and brings home the bottom half and then inters it behind the shed in the back garden.  He comes indoors. We then remove the bottom half of the rabbit and place it in the wheelie bin. No problem.

A couple of weeks ago he got one on the allotments and whilst he was not aggressive about it, he was not for parting with the rear end of rabbit. Where he went, rabbit bum and legs went too.

A neighbour turned up on site with his dog. I have always kept dog treats for other dogs even though we did not own one. So, as usual, I gave this dog it's treat.

Our new dog has never been jealous. He was watching and came over. I said to him "You do not need feeding, you have caught your own".

Next thing, the half chewed rabbit carcass is placed at my feet It twigged with me that he might be making a swap so I picked it up and placed it in a carrier bag. He offered no resistance, instead, he waited. I gave him a treat and seemingly we made a swap.

Now, to me that is not a scientific study by any means.

Then last week our dog gets another rabbit and  on the waste land and scoffs half. He wont part with the other half so carries it home and since I wont let him in the house with it. He buries it in the usual 'secret' place.

It was a very hot day and I rather think the rabbit hunt had brought on a pant and slaver of the sort I had not noticed before in fact it slightly worried me so in my estimation the dog needed cooling down fast.

Ice cream was the best idea I could come up with so I put him down a small portion well chopped up in his dish.

He slowly licked it all and then after lying down for a moment. Got up and went outside.

Next thing, the half chewed soil covered rabbit remains is planted at my feet. Dog goes to his bed for a well earned sleep.

So, does this indicate that dogs could actually understand bartering?

[Jeannine]

Absolutely, I believe they do completely, my Pekes would bark at the treat tin and I would say no, next thing I had a toy dropped at my feet followed by a yap and a face turned in the direction of the tin, the other two hovering behind the bold one,..it always worked as they got their treat. They all did it but always two hovered behind who was the chosen leader that day.

The really funny bit is ...my tiny blond one who looked an acted like a sweet princess always came back and retrieved the given toy after she had eaten her treat, so she had figured out lending too.

You have a smart dog there, well done, nice to hear one so settles and well.

[Borlotti]

Some cats and dogs are clever, some not so clever, but still much loved.  The difference in pets is remarkable, some are a bit dim but lovely and some are very intelligent.  This cat can walk backwards on a radiator in my outhouse that is covered by a wooden sheet of wood but is not so clever as is just chewing through the computer wire, I do worry about him sometimes.  I am not too happy about all the dead offerings of food, ie birds and mice, but suppose he is just paying rent.

[Squash64]

Vera my Border Terrier will find something she shouldn't have, like a snail shell or plant pot and lie down in front of me but just out of reach.  If I try to get it off her she will quickly run away but if I get a treat, she drops it immediately.  She has trained me to swap things for treats.  Clever dog, gullible owner!

[GrannieAnnie]

PurpleHeather, a very funny dog you have and sounds like he understands the barter system.

We have had two dogs we trained to ring a bell when then needed to go out. We threw a treat outside the door and pushed their paws against a bell. Within a half hour they knew the ropes- they'd swat the bell and we'd let them out. They quickly learned to swat an outside bell when they wanted to come in instead of scratching at the door.

But then they extended the game. When we'd sit down to eat supper they'd swat the bell repeatedly figuring they should be fed as well. You could see it in their facial expressions- the disbelief that it wouldn't work for a whole meal just didn't seem fair to them. We were breaking the rules of the game.

One of them also could show incredible guilt. He was not allowed on our bed but if we left him alone at home he'd invariably get on our bed leaving a warm spot dented in. The second clue was he'd hold his tail between his legs- a dead give-away that he'd been bad. Sometimes he also carry one of my shoes onto the bed just for spite.  A lovely doggy- but didn't want to be left out of anything.

[goodlife]

Oh..dogs and cats are much clever than we get them credit for..my 'little' irish-border terrier.. ::)(long story)..does come work with me I normally finish work at  12 and I know when the time is near as she comes and start 'hovering' around me..today I did stay a little later...ten to 12 she started the usual..I told her to go and lie down in shade..'I'm not ready yet'...she turned around and jogged away under the trees into shade.. :o ;D..when I started to put tools away..she appeared again.. ::)

[Deb P]

Sound like a clever dog to me! My three cats are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, but one got my attention at 3am the other night by leaving jumping on the bed repeatedly. It was only when I groggily switched the light on I realised he had bought me a present......a live mouse was sitting on my duvet! :o :o :o

 I did a suitably girly little scream and OH chased the cat out, who by that time had grabbed the mouse and legged it! ::) Perhaps I should have negotiated a swap with him first......

[Jeannine]

Oh the guilty dog, they are so good at it, one of mine would limp for hours if somene accidently bumped into her, she was brat, and now and again one of the others would put her in her place.   hey another limp, and she could hold a grudge like a professional, she had a fave squeaky toy, she took it everywhere and I mean everywhere, a new dog joined us  and one day touched it, she shooed him off and guarded it but would never touch it again. She also took a toy with her when she went outside, carried it right out, but coming in she would drop it on the step, jump in , then look helpless at John who would bend down and lift it in for her... it never failed. In the beginning I refused and closed the door, so after that she brought it in herself if I opened the door.

XX Jeannine

[bridgehouse]

I love these stories  ;D
  June.

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh the guilty dog, they are so good at it, one of mine would limp for hours if somene accidently bumped into her, she was brat, and now and again one of the others would put her in her place.   hey another limp, and she could hold a grudge like a professional, she had a fave squeaky toy, she took it everywhere and I mean everywhere, a new dog joined us  and one day touched it, she shooed him off and guarded it but would never touch it again. She also took a toy with her when she went outside, carried it right out, but coming in she would drop it on the step, jump in , then look helpless at John who would bend down and lift it in for her... it never failed. In the beginning I refused and closed the door, so after that she brought it in herself if I opened the door.

XX Jeannine

  What breed of dog was your prima donna, Jeannine? She certainly had your John well trained!

[Jeannine]

Pekingese..but nuff said...shouldn't have mentioned them really, they stayed in the UK when we returned.. best not to go there I think  I thought I was OK when I wrote the story but after reading it back today I am not ready..not yet

XX Jeannine :'(

[GrannieAnnie]

Ah, sorry. It takes awhile. We had to leave a cocker spaniel with friends when we moved from Missouri once.
He ended up in doggy jail which I doubt would have happened if we'd been able to keep him.

[zigzig]

We have a dog who struggles to walk he looks like an old man needing a walking stick around the house.

As soon as you accidently nudge his lead he is there. Waggy tail and ready to go. The limp vanishes.

Meets another dog when playing lead free on the park and they will both bounce about playing for hours. Put him on the lead to go home and he is limping again.

Then he sees next doors cat............

[PurpleHeather]

The little beggar has cost us a fortune on vets fees with a limp.........Then

We spotted him limping from the living room to the back kitchen then running out of the house limp free.

Seems he knows when we are out of sight.

I confronted him and told him that I had seen he was not limping (do they understand?) I gave him a good talking to and pointed to the limb he limped on.

Well either the vet's injections have worked or the little Beggar understood me.

He was with my daughter and her husband today (he knows they are soft) and limped.

I deliberately told them that the dog could not go for a walk because he needed to rest his leg.

Made a point of rubbing his leg and saying 'poor dog needs to rest'

No walkies.

Suddenly a fully recovered dog wanted to walk

he has not limped since.

[bridgehouse]

I love the stories, I have a Birman cat who is an old lady, she understands all most eveything, I am sure
   June.

[GrannieAnnie]

Which reminds me of Keno, the beagle I had in childhood. He was an outdoor dog and had a very long leash to keep him in our yard. If the neighbors' cats walked through within his reach he would sit down and face away from them though kept them in his sight. As soon as they got out of range of his leash he'd bark and charge madly the length of the chain. Quite the pitiful coward but put on a good act.