Earlier there was a thread on vehicle recognition.
I have a similar musing/question.
Recently I did a research paper on dogs role in society in Renaissance Europe. I ran across several strange and interesting stories, (not set in that era). One was about FDR's dog Fala. the moment when he died the dog jumped up and chased someting invisible out of the room and ran into a door trying to follow.
THere is also the fact that many messenger dogs in the trenches in WWI inexplicably knew where to find their handlers even when they had moved.
My own dog, Lady, with whom I have a very close relationship, knows when I am coming home; sometimes 15 minutes ahead of time, (not based on schedules or sounds).
So what does everyone else think about the possibility of dogs having some kind of sense that we (obviously) dont have. Im not sure how else this phenomenon might be explained but Im open to speculation....

Ah, I must add because it irks me, that I havent cited these sources ('cepting my own). But Im looking for opinions on the core idea, not historical correctness, so to speak, so I didnt bother. these are just a couple examples that stuck in my mind from awhile ago.

Edited by Mary Velazquez (03/11/2008 11:30 PM)
Edit reason: the citation clause... =)

There are stories of dogs finding their owners over huge distances and at brand new places. Im never sure what to make of those. I do think that some dogs and their person bond on a level deeper than most people would imagine, its not anything that I could begin to explain but I do know that my dogs touch my soul in a way that no other creature can.

There is also the story of grey Friars bobby..(or something like that) there is a statue in edinburgh where the little dog sat at his masters grave for years and years without fail.

My dogs also seem to know when I am coming home as they are always already at the front window when I pull onto our street.

Now here is one that makes me sound like a total loon.

After Levi died Loki was depressed and Nico was all nervous because she heard his screaming. Neither one of them would go outside on their own or did any playing for about 2 weeks. Loki just paced and sniffed and whined and paced and sniffed looking for him.
Levi always used to sleep on the air vent by the front door, it was his spot and after he died the other dogs did not invade that space, they still really don't.

On two different nights in the first few weeks after the accident a tennis ball went rolling out from his spot into the middle of the living room, when the other dogs and my son were sound asleep, It felt to me, and still feels like he was letting me know he was ok, I dont know what else to make of it.

I have chills just typing about it.

Oh and loony bird story number two.
Last summer and fall I didnt see a single bee in our garden, not one.
The afternoon of the accident our front flowerbed was buzzing with hundreds of bees.
For a couple of months afterwards weird bee stuff kept happening, like looking down and finding one sitting on my arm while I was sitting on the couch.

Or getting in my car and having two just hanging out on the steering wheel. Even my husband noticed the weirdness of the bees, and my teenage nephew that was living with us at the time.

Im not a fan of bees, normally the bushes being swarmed by them or having one on me would not make me happy but it was oddly comforting and made me feel peaceful. I have no idea how it could possibly be connected, but it felt that it was somehow when it happened, and still does now.

ok end of aimless ramblings of my strange mind

Ive got to go find the kleenex now. Ive never grieved for anything like I did/do for that stupid dog!

thanks for sharing, Jennifer, *sniff,sniff*
I dont like to talk about the bond I have with Lady because most people think its plain stupid or Im being an emotional human. But I cant think about that "one day" without crying and Im macho-Ive never cried about anything; not even getting my chin scraped off and then sewn up, But she and I are close like the storybooks....
I think that they can (depending on the dog) tell where their people are, and who knows what else. Im interested in knowing what other people think about it, and if theyve ever heard of anything like it...

Very interesting topic! One of which I cant answer.

However, relating to the bond aspect and the dogs understand on a deeper level.

The trainer that I am an apprentice too had a dog, cant remember the name, however, she could call the dog from anywhere on her property
(33acers) never even saying a word. you might say the dog saw her, or she did something... nothing was done. Time and Time again the dog would come whenever she asked him to in her mind, without fail. The dog could be downstairs and her up... Nothing but mind was used... It was and still is very mind boggling for me to comprehend it.

Im not sure I would say that dogs know where we are. Or do you mean do they sense when we are close to home?

I've heard many stories about the loyalty of dogs and them finding their owners over long distances and time. Like the movie The Magic of Lassie, LOVE that movie....lol.

I do know that regardless of what time I come home, even if it's earlier than my normal time Tucker is always waiting on the mat at the front door.

I recently moved into a new place with my BF, and on the days that he's home and im out and about he has told me that Tucker will show signs of restlessness then go to the front door and lie down, and I will inevitably show up a few minutes later.
When Im gone Tucker will generally lie down on the floor in the den while my BF watches tv, but will always get restless (going from the room to the front door and back to the den and lie down for a bit, then do the routine again) Tucker will eventually not come back to the den and lie down at the front door and thats when my bf knows im more than likely close to home.

I don't think we will ever truly understand the workings of the canine mind and just wether or not they have a certain 6th sense about us. But somedays I have to wonder.

Oh lord, dog homecoming movies.... Homeward Bound. My son rented that the other day and I watched it with him Im such a sap for dog movies and that one gets me lol. He wanted to rent where the red fern grows the other day and I told him he could, but he had to watch it in my room without me...I cant handle it!

My wife is Hans favorite person. He knows her work schedule, and when 5 PM rolls around he lies down in front of the door to wait for her. When she is a block away he starts to whine and get excited. This has been studied, dogs can hear us a block or two away and can recognize the sound of our vehicles.

Dogs are pack animals. I think of Hans, who lives in the house, and is always with us and always observing us. They are going to learn a lot about our behaviors and habits.

Jennifer, I've heard another bee story similar to the one you told.

It is kinda of funny this would come up.
I have a box of jewels old thing
And I was not going to give JJ any of it kongs and things like that.
This box has been in a cuby hole for at least a month now.
No animal ever messed with it.
well last night when JJ was in bed with me the box just fell out of the hole.
This cubbie hole is 2 1/2 feet deep and it was in the back.
The only thing that fell out was Jewels old kongs and her blanket that she used.
And when it did JJ went and looked at something for a minute.
Then barked and picked up the blanket and got back in bed.

It is like Jewel said I am giving this to you.
Take care of it and take care of me mom and sister.
JJ has not let that blanket out of her sight yet.

Then there was that recent story of Nubs. He was a dog taken in by some Marines in the Anbar province. When the unit had to move to another location about 65 miles away, they had to leave the dog behind.

The dog showed up at the new base about two days later. Tracking or telepathy -- take your pick. Pretty incredible either way.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8333469?&nclick_check=1

Although the concept of a dog’s sixth sense is thought provoking, the jury is obviously still out whether this phenomenon is based on fact or myth. Future advances in canine behavior may no doubt prove or disprove such abilities, yet the fact dogs often know what we don’t is noteworthy. Perhaps their still primitive nature locks away secrets privy only to them? Perhaps it is their job to keep such mysteries from us, until man is more worthy of the knowledge?

Reading this thread I am reminded of Stickeen, the tale of a dog that so impressed John Muir (the father of modern wilderness preservation) that he often told the story to seemingly anyone that would listen. And in 1909 he penned the story, dedicating it to his wife Helen.

After weathering a glacier storm together, Muir wrote of Stickeen (named after the Stickeen Indians near Fort Wrangell, Alaska)...

 Quote:

“At night, when all was quiet about the camp-fire, he would come to me and rest his head on my knee with a look of devotion as if I were his god. And often as he caught my eye he seemed to be trying to say, ‘Wasn’t that an awful time we had together on the glacier?’ ... I have known many dogs, and many a story I could tell of their wisdom and devotion; but to none do I owe so much as to Stickeen.”

Maybe the greater mystery is who chose whom, best friend? ...Just a thought.