Animal communication

I was out with my dogs one day and saw something really odd. A rabbit darted from one clump of foliage to another. My girl, Molly, saw it and went over to look for it. She stood there sniffing. Mind you, she wasn't thrashing around or making noise or anything. Suzie, her daughter, was in another part of the yard some distance away and out of line of sight. There is no way that she could have seen Molly at all. Well, here comes Suzie darting across the yard to where Molly was. When she came running Molly had stopped sniffing to watch her approach. They put their faces together and then both went into a frenzy of sniffing. I swear that Molly somehow told her what she was looking for and where it was. She didn't make any sound that I could hear. I think that either she made a noise too low to be heard by human ears. I read somewhere that dogs can communicate by scent. It could have been that. Some might say it was telepathy but I don't know about that. At any rate, I could swear that I saw something pass between them before the sniffing began when they had their faces near each other. I've seen them do this several times. I'm convinced that they're communicating somehow. Have you ever noticed something like this with your dogs or cats?

a reply to: Skid Mark

My guess is the rabbit released some "scent" when it got startled by the first dog. If the wind was blowing in the right direction, the other dog could have easily picked up the rabbits scent.

a reply to: Skid Mark

All the time.

My cat's have a very limited vocabulary-a lengthy sustained meow is "feed me" and a short sharp meow is "hurry up" and when they 'howl' I know that something is not right.

My cats are not stupid- when the largest of the two wants some food, it'll look at the box of biscuits, look at the bowl, then look at me and give me a 'meow' while raising the pitch of it's "voice" to indicate that it is asking me a question. And a short sharp purr lets me know that it is satisfied.

a reply to: eisegesis

Either that or the VERY subtle cues of "hunt excitement" in Molly's face. Dogs also have exceptional hearing. It's possible Suzie heard Molly's initial approach and sensed urgency in her footsteps and came running.

One of my dogs, Mia, passed away a couple years ago, but she and her litter-mate, Cara, used to hunt in coordination. It was amazing to watch. I don't know how they knew just what to do, but they caught rabbits all the time! One would go one way, and the other would take off in a different direction and they'd converge on the poor rabbit before he had a chance!

a reply to: Skid Mark

Dogs communicate at a distance by sound, up close by body and facial 'expressions' (like wagging tails, for instance). If they were scenting the same rabbit trail together its because they were both "on it".

On a dogs scenting ability, look at their nose. If the nostrils at the sides flare upwards you got a dog that has above normal scenting ability.

Parts per million ability. Our little Dachsund scents people through the air. Whenever we walk and somebody passes by she gets in their wake and "sniffs" the air where they just walked. Then she watches them as they walk away.

I'd give anything to know what she is thinking, but I know they are able to detect body odor, fear, illness, what you ate, etc.

When a dog goes for a walk they get a book of information to read later.

Animals have not been told that they cannot communicate with each other through thought waves like people have. Maybe you should tell them that this is not possible, it works with people. They know how to interpret this better than humans though, because we are told to ignore this sixth sense by those who want us to believe in them. So if you ignore something it never gets developed.

a reply to: eisegesis

I hadn't thought of that. Good call.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
a reply to: Skid Mark

All the time.

My cat's have a very limited vocabulary-a lengthy sustained meow is "feed me" and a short sharp meow is "hurry up" and when they 'howl' I know that something is not right.

My cats are not stupid- when the largest of the two wants some food, it'll look at the box of biscuits, look at the bowl, then look at me and give me a 'meow' while raising the pitch of it's "voice" to indicate that it is asking me a question. And a short sharp purr lets me know that it is satisfied.

Does your cat also have a sound for "You may go now, slave"? My friend's cat seems to do that.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Another good point.
That must have been fun to watch, except for the mess at the end of the hunt.

a reply to: intrptr

Both of them have scenting ability. They sniff a LOT. It's fun watching them because they'll sniff and then look up and around to see if what they smell is still around.

a reply to: rickymouse

I'll try that. I don't know how it will go over with them though. I tried teaching them to read but gave up when they tried to eat the book.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Skid Mark

When a dog goes for a walk they get a book of information to read later.

Spot on!
My old mate (gone now) used to travel everywhere with me (lorry driver) and he spent the whole journey with his nose firmly glued to the airvent. On journeys that included a regular tasty treat from customers, he'd get excited several miles before the treat destination!
I'm convinced they build scent maps!

originally posted by: rickymouse
Animals have not been told that they cannot communicate with each other through thought waves like people have. Maybe you should tell them that this is not possible, it works with people. They know how to interpret this better than humans though, because we are told to ignore this sixth sense by those who want us to believe in them. So if you ignore something it never gets developed.

My dogs will lay around until my GF decides to come home then they will want out to greet her at the gate. Her hours at her job vary so it's not just a routine. They also sense things in the house that I can't see and will stare at nothing, very intently.

a reply to: olaru12

My girl Molly adores my brother and sister in law. She would go nuts whenever they came over. They could park a block away and she'd still know that they were there. I'm thinking that she heard the engine of their car. She'd memorized it. When they got a new car it confused her until she got used to the sound of it and it was the same thing all over again. I also think she might have smelled them.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: rickymouse

I'll try that. I don't know how it will go over with them though. I tried teaching them to read but gave up when they tried to eat the book.

I have faith in you. You can brainwash them to believe in anything if you feed them the right thing.

Humans are egotistical little pieces of crap sometimes.

Why is it so hard to acknowledge that animals can do things that we cannot.

I have had many German Shepherds and they know things and do things that can only be accounted for by telepathy of some type.

But nooooo! If we can't do it, obviously they can't and therefore we make up a whole raft of really dumb reasons why we are superior.

Humans are funny! Give me an honest doggy any day.

P

a reply to: pheonix358

Dogs are some of the best people I know. There isn't a day that my girls don't make me smile in one way or another.

a reply to: VoidHawk

I'm convinced they build scent maps!

Good point. In the wild their survival depends on their heightened awareness of their "territory". It is bounded by scent and full of tell tales that lead to food, water and mmm, a mate.

Thanks for the personal tale of yours with the nose to the air vent. That made me morning.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: intrptr

Both of them have scenting ability. They sniff a LOT. It's fun watching them because they'll sniff and then look up and around to see if what they smell is still around.

I enjoy watching them too. Animals are so keen, I can't get enough of nature shows about them.

Compared to most critters we are blind, deaf and 'sense-less'.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: olaru12

My girl Molly adores my brother and sister in law. She would go nuts whenever they came over. They could park a block away and she'd still know that they were there. I'm thinking that she heard the engine of their car. She'd memorized it. When they got a new car it confused her until she got used to the sound of it and it was the same thing all over again. I also think she might have smelled them.

It was the engine sound.

We had a white cat named Fritz who LOVED my husband and was always there to greet him. Our old car at the time had a very distinctive sounding engine, and I could hear it coming some ways off. However, I could always tell my husband was coming much sooner than that just by watching the cat who could hear that car coming even sooner than I could. He was always at the door waiting for my husband to come home ... just like any faithful dog.