way to many, we've had to resort to spelling "go outside" backwards with varying accents....he can also identify and steal most types of clothing my dresser as well as a couple of particular shirts and pairs of socks. He knows things like "wallet", "knife", "cell phone",and "keys". He also knows the identify of near any equiptment I use with him (leash, collar, prong, harness, etc). He knows a handful of food and drink names. He knows my housemate's names as well as "auntie" means find the closest one. He knows I'm "mom" (NOT my idea -_-). He knows the name of the puppy upstairs better than she does XD

 Quote: barbara schuler

I've heard folks say how many hundred/thousand times a dog neads to hear a command / word to fully understand it...

But a command calls for the dog to learn a performance rather than just to remember a thing -- particularly a good thing. I'd probably learn "chocolate" in another language way faster than I'd learn "mop the floor."

 Quote:

I remember one day I said something to Murphy like "go over to that bench and bring me that sweatshirt please" and he actually did.

LOL! That's great.


My dog knows maybe 15.. but on the intelligence scale, she doesn't rate very high. I can't imagine my dog knowing 200 words.

 Quote: Reina F. Wishart

... My dog knows maybe 15.. but on the intelligence scale, she doesn't rate very high. I can't imagine my dog knowing 200 words.

Do you have a Pug too?

It's so evident (to me) every day in so many ways that the GSD has a lot more going on in that head than the Pugs do.

That's OK. There's nothing like training the slower dog for honing the trainer's skills! And then when you turn to one of the very intelligent breeds, it's dazzling.

JMO.

 Quote: connie sutherland

But a command calls for the dog to learn a performance rather than just to remember a thing -- particularly a good thing. I'd probably learn "chocolate" in another language way faster than I'd learn "mop the floor."

I would have to agree with that

I've been meaning to get the new Sean Senechal book on dog sign. It's a fascinating concept to see how many words your dog actually can know from the other end of the leash.

When I last heard an interview with her she was messing with the idea of teaching counting and sorting skills and reporting to a SAR dog in California.

IMO, most dogs have the mental ability to learn a good number of words. They always seem to pick up what is important to them!! But what sets apart the "smart" dogs from the others is their desire to work with/please a person. They want to figure it out because working with a person is rewarding to them - that's what they were bred for. She watches me when I talk, she is my shadow around the house.

I also don't think the "smartest" dogs are always the ones that are the easiest to train. They pick on on things so dang fast that you as a trainer need to be on your toes with what you are communicating.

 Quote: mara jessup

IMO, most dogs have the mental ability to learn a good number of words. They always seem to pick up what is important to them!! But what sets apart the "smart" dogs from the others is their desire to work with/please a person. They want to figure it out because working with a person is rewarding to them - that's what they were bred for. She watches me when I talk, she is my shadow around the house.

I also don't think the "smartest" dogs are always the ones that are the easiest to train. They pick on on things so dang fast that you as a trainer need to be on your toes with what you are communicating.

Really good points!

I generalized way too much , when what I think I really meant was that the very lowest on the IQ scale might be much more difficult to train, biddable or not.

Yup, I agree with that. And I love seeing people work with and train more unusal breeds for a sport (like a pug in agility) because I know that they are really dedicated to training and having fun with their dog - and probably have much more patience and skill than me

I think IQ is a bit more individual based than breed based. And drives sure factor into training potential as well. You get a dog with a lower IQ, but a through the roof food drive and I imagine it would have pretty good training potential.

I got my first BC 8 1/2 years ago. Grew up on Lassie and Lad books. I was in my early 20s and had had my breed picked out for 5+ years. And low and behold the type of dog I got was everything I could have imagined. Picked up on names, commands, didn't need training because she just did what she was told. Made me look like a genius. She honestly worked for me and tried her hardest to figure out what I wanted. And I thought, "wow these Border Collies are really something"

Then I got dog #2. Who was still incredibly smart. But a dog. That needed training. He is fond of me and wants to please me, but he's also very much in it for him!! Through dog #2 I really learned just how amazing dog #1 was

 Quote: connie sutherland

 Quote: barbara schuler

I've heard folks say how many hundred/thousand times a dog neads to hear a command / word to fully understand it...

But a command calls for the dog to learn a performance rather than just to remember a thing -- particularly a good thing. I'd probably learn "chocolate" in another language way faster than I'd learn "mop the floor."

Good point, and probably one of the reasons why Marker Training is so effective! That instant reward... just like chocolate for you and me!