The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

An intelligent dog!

60 comments


I know Labradors are intelligent – they couldn’t be trained to be Guide Dogs for the Blind as well as Hearing Dogs, otherwise, could they? However, Henry is a pet dog – not trained for any special tasks.

He enjoys being in the garden with me: he lives for his food – as Labs all do!

He also loves his daily walks. So – what makes me think he’s really intelligent?

Well – there’s one particular walk I take him on, and last week, as he often does, he found a stick in a field. Now, Henry doesn’t do things by half – when he chooses a stick it has to be a very big one – usually about 6 – 8’ long – more of a branch, really!

He always ‘prunes’ his sticks a bit before we start off again. He’s a happy dog with the stick firmly held in his mouth.

But – on this walk, we have to negotiate several stiles! He wouldn’t leave his stick behind – I could see that his usual method of wriggling underneath wouldn’t work if he held the stick like that… there simply wasn’t enough space!

Yes – that’s the small space he has to wriggle under. Lucky he isn’t overweight, isn’t it! What would he do to get his stick to the other side?

I watched in amazement – he looked at the gap, put the stick down and grabbed hold of one end of it. Then he dragged the stick after him through the hole under the stile!

Off he trotted triumphantly ahead of me – with a really jaunty swing! This is a mown footpath across some private land – yes, it is a public footpath.

The path leads past a wonderful spinney – the berries are beautiful. I always look forward to this time of year. To pass such shrubs is a real pleasure.

I’m not sure what species of Euonymus this is – but just look at the colour of the berries! Orange and pink!

The owner of this spinney is a real plantsman – he has bred many plants, Irises in particular.

He grows specimen trees, too – just look at this gorgeous beech tree, glowing in the light.

And three silver birches planted close together, to create a multi-stemmed tree. I’ve done the same in my garden! My birches are still small at the moment, though.

At the end of the path is a swinging gate leading onto the lane – how would we cope when Henry has to be on his lead and negotiate the gate?

Why did I bother to wonder? He was through with a quick flick of his head and a swing of his hips!

Leaving me standing at the wrong side of the gate.

‘Why are you so slow?’ he seemed to say – ‘Stop staring at trees and get on with our walk!’.

Oh – another problem. After the gales, there’s a fallen tree across the path – not a problem for Henry, though, only for me. Should I try a limbo dance underneath – or climb over it?

By the time I’d clambered over the tree trunk and reached the next stile – he’d already negotiated it!

Across another field – and there’s another stile. Henry stood for a moment and surveyed it – could he work it out again? Would he?

Oh, yes. A repeat performance!

It was a tight squeeze with that stick held firmly in his teeth, dragging behind him.

He did it, though – Well done, Henry! Clever boy!

So there we were – on the track near the end of our walk – triumph written all over my dog’s happy face.

A few more steps across the lane to our own home.

‘Come on! I can’t open gates…yet! Let me in!’

So that’s how I know that Henry is intelligent – he repeated this feat on the next day…and the next…but quicker! I’m so proud of my problem -solving Labrador.

More blog posts by spritzhenry

Previous post: New for old - MAGIC!

Next post: Winter CAN be interesting! part 1.



Comments

 

Wonderful to watch them grow both in size and intelligence :~))
There'll be no stopping him once he has mastered gates. Believe me I know because my oldest girl is an ace with gates and latches and has taught the youngest, her granddaughter LoL

21 Nov, 2009

 

I guess you both learn from eachother.He's a great companion.

21 Nov, 2009

 

Lovely blog Spritz

I have a secret longing for a lab, but I dont think Phoebe the cat agrees, nor unfortunately does hubby..............

21 Nov, 2009

 

Great blog Spritz and Henry is clever, as all dogs are really, but he was waiting for you to open the gate just to make you feel good, I bet he can open it truth be known :o)))))))))

22 Nov, 2009

 

clever boy henry, well done, they are very intelligent dogs barbara, loved the walk and the pics, but love to see dear henry best of all :o)))

22 Nov, 2009

 

He's a lovely dog Spritz :-)))
They're clearly an intelligent breed.

22 Nov, 2009

 

Lovely animal! I fell in love with Henry as soon as I entered this site and your avatar of him still makes me smile every time I see it.

22 Nov, 2009

 

He's a real sweetie, and I agree a very clever lad :)))))))

22 Nov, 2009

 

What a clever dog and a lovely walk.

22 Nov, 2009

 

I enjoyed seeing him and the beech lovely winter colour. Handsome lad and he does looks intelligent Spritz, and he looks so like you!

22 Nov, 2009

 

What a bright boy, Spritz!! But then - as you know - I am a mad lab woman!!!
I know just how clever they can be ...one of my current rescue ones has obviously missed her vocation...she should have been a sniffer dog...LOL
A few days ago I left the dogs at home for an hour or so - and on my return discovered that Di had taken a brand new tin of Roses Chocolates off the table - opened it (you should see the tin - it is mangled!) and devoured 2 lbs of chocs....and all but three of the wrappers!!! She hadn't even had the decency to share them with her chum Honey either!!
Apart from a raging thirst - she was totally unaffected - and had the temerity to look for her tea....which she didn't get I may add!

22 Nov, 2009

 

Really enjoyed that walk thismorning....really invigorating......Henry is a handsome boy isn't he?....Lovely blog Spritz......its the way that you tell 'em:))))

22 Nov, 2009

 

love your walk...... what a clever boy Henry is......

22 Nov, 2009

 

Henry is gorgeous and so clever.

22 Nov, 2009

 

Thanks, all! He does look a bit like me, I confess! LOL.

Alz - I'm so pleased that Di is none the worse for her chocolate session! Talk about 'stomachs on legs'!

22 Nov, 2009

 

well as long as you dont have a waggy tail barbara lol :o))

22 Nov, 2009

 

Who says I haven't?? LOL.

22 Nov, 2009

 

Well Alzheimer. You'll know exactly where she's pooed, you'll spot the shiny wrappers a mile off. I do hope she'll have no other after effects, Choc can be serious as you'll already know.

22 Nov, 2009

 

:o)) lol barbara

22 Nov, 2009

 

Hi Heron....I am well aware of choc problems and happily this feisty labrador had no untoward affects...leading me to realise what I had already surmised - that there isn't a lot of choc. in Roses! They are about 90% filling...and no dark choc which as you know contains the highest amount of Theobromine...the main culprit..
Apart from her raging thirst - she was absolutely A1 and like you said....she was even "donating" multi-coloured wrapped cr## the next day!!!!!!
She sure gave me a fright though......but as it actually happened back on the 3rd of Nov... I figure she is well out of danger now...LOL

22 Nov, 2009

 

Oh Sprizt Henry is lovely and so clever, I so miss my walks with Polly its not the same somehow now she is no longer around, Polly loved sticks too but imediately she found one to her liking she wanted to run back home with it lol

22 Nov, 2009

 

I'm quite sure you miss your walks, Pp. ;-((

We now have three large sticks lying around the garden somewhere - H. seems to have lost interest in them, since he insisted on bringing them home!

I shall cut them up and they'll go on the logburner (when he's not looking - or he'll try to 'own' them again. LOL!)

22 Nov, 2009

 

"Roses grow on you" not me they don't, certainly not now anyway. Isn't amazing what dogs will eat. I wonder if they eat by smell rather than sight. My sister once had a Retriever (Harvey), we went to the seaside where he drank sea water. After profusely apologising to the landlord of the pub where we tried to enjoy a cool beer while trying to ignore the smell of Harvey's wind. we were given a hosepipe to wash down the pub beer garden after he'd relieved himself of the soupy remains of his breakfast. It didn't stop there, while we waited for the 'effects' to subside, on a quiet part of the beach, a charming Lady engaged in conversation with us. Ultra, unparalleled, unlimited embarrassment followed for as we spoke politely indeed complementlary about 'Harvey' (the sauce of our dilemma), I became aware of something unspeakable being poured (literally and liberally) onto the Ladies shoe. We bid a prompt goodbye and left..... swiftly.

22 Nov, 2009

 

LOL. What a wonderful story, Heron! Oh dear - what red faces you must have had! :-O

22 Nov, 2009

 

lol heron,, they certainly know how to show us up dont they hehehe

22 Nov, 2009

 

OMG..Heron....how embarrassing!!! Hope you could run!!

I once had a very red face down on the beach - nothing to do with the sunshine either.....when Scout - my last big male labrador was off the lead on the sands - nowadays frowned on - but OK some years ago when - as he ran past a toddler who had a large hamburger in his fist - Scout snaffled it in the passing and never even broke stride as he ran off!! Luckily for me - as I didn't have a purse with me - the kid was too stunned to do more than stand there looking distinctly puzzled.
I fled the scene - coward that I was!

22 Nov, 2009

 

Oh dear - Alz - that's AWFUL!! Labs are SOOOOO greedy, aren't they!

I shouldn't laugh - but I am!

22 Nov, 2009

 

Happy Labs are wet Labs.

22 Nov, 2009

 

I don't blame you Spritz...it was like something off "you've Been Framed " ...the speed with which he whizzed past.....he didn't even have the grace to stop to eat it...just galloped off into the distance....with me and Sophie in hot pursuit!!

22 Nov, 2009

 

Are you sure your dog isn't a Leonberger ?

22 Nov, 2009

 

Water is a Lab-magnet, wouldn't you agree? ANY water, dirty or not!

22 Nov, 2009

 

Henry is such a beautiful companion and obviously no fool. The Euonymus is Spindle Tree or at least that is what I know it as. Euonymus europaeus (Celastreae).

22 Nov, 2009

 

what a lovely walk you have/ what do you do with his sticks then? does he chew them down to twigs?

22 Nov, 2009

 

Thanks, both!

I wasn't sure of the Euonymus's full name, so thanks for that. It's a wonderful spinney - I've had a walk round in it with the owner, and there are some rare and unusual shrubs and trees in there!

Well, Sbg - he might remember them if he sees them when I'm working outside, and 'prune' them a bit more, or try to get me to throw them - but otherwise, they're just lying around at the moment!

22 Nov, 2009

 

I have to say that my last pair of labs "knew" their sticks and I would prop them up at the gate into the forestry when we got back to the car. The next time we drove up - they would both retrieve their own stick and go the whole way round the walk with them again and again!! If they had disappeared from where they had been left....what a caper there was! They would not be distracted and invariably found them again....talk about clever dogs.... I hadn't a clue by comparison!!

23 Nov, 2009

 

Lovely Lovely H was Born Intelligent Spritz :) XXX

23 Nov, 2009

 

I reckon so, Jac! xxx

Alz - when I use his ball thrower, and the ball disappears in the undergrowth, he will NOT give up - he snuffles and sniffs and dives through hedges and ditches until he finds it! Call him until you're blue in the face...no use at all, until that ball is found! His memory is amazing, too - he knows where he's seen rabbits on any walk, even several years ago - and tells me loudly about them and every badger sett en route!!!!

23 Nov, 2009

 

Know the feeling Spritz.....even old blind Honey will NOT be budged from a scent or old (yuk) rabbit she remembers from weeks/months ago!
There is no doubt that they have "tunnel vision" when faced by a "problem"...and I guess that's what made Greyfriars Bobby so famous in his day too.

23 Nov, 2009

 

Yes - too true! tenacious, determined, stubborn, selective hearing - they have all these in spades, don't they - but we still love'em! :-)))))))

23 Nov, 2009

 

Well done Henry, put us humans to shame with all your clever ways pleased you enjoy your walk.

23 Nov, 2009

 

Tell you what, Carol - I won't be wriggling under stiles with a stick in my mouth! LOL.

Yes - thank you. We do enjoy them - especially this one!

23 Nov, 2009

 

As you know Carol I have Jake my black lab and he is very intelligent as was Hannah our last lab. She used to do similar things to Henry and would ofen disappear into a dense shrubbery for a while and come back with some other poor dog`s tennis ball or the like. Theres never a dull moment with a labrador. :o)

Sandra x

23 Nov, 2009

 

Sandra - that's also very true! But what lovely cuddly dogs they are. :-)))

23 Nov, 2009

 

Very enjoyable taking a walk with you and Henry Spritz,made me laugh at his antics as Morgan is so much like that..........

24 Nov, 2009

 

Thanks, LL. xx

24 Nov, 2009

 

Great blog, & great dog, Spritz! :~))

24 Nov, 2009

 

Hi, Marie! Thanks! :-)))) Woof from Henry. ;-)

24 Nov, 2009

 

YW! Woof to you too, Henry! :~))

24 Nov, 2009

 

He's sitting next to me wagging his tail, Marie! lol.

25 Nov, 2009

 

Labs are clever dogs as they are working dogs, bred especially for it. Do you find yours butts you when it wants attention as I have always had this with mine in the past.

26 Nov, 2009

 

Yes, Morgana - but more of a 'prod', really. If I'm reading or typing, a nose will be poked under my arm, followed by his head until he's looking beseechingly up at me! If I stroke or cuddle him and he wants more, he pats me with his paw. :-))

26 Nov, 2009

 

Yes they do love their attention and they persist until they get it, I found. : O ))

26 Nov, 2009

 

Sorry late to this hilarious blog Spritz ! Henrys manoeuvres and hurdle negotiations are truly great and had us both in stitches.Lovely cheery blog..thank you !

5 Dec, 2009

 

Hi Ray/Jane! I'm glad you both enjoyed it. :-)))

5 Dec, 2009

 

Liked pic 5 best ! Henry wriggling on his tum from rear view just so funny !

5 Dec, 2009

 

LOL. The next day, I wouldn't even have managed to get a photo of ANY part of him, Ray! He has it off to a tee, now. SOOO fast! No thinking about it, any more.

5 Dec, 2009

 

LOL ! Now that IS intelligence !!

5 Dec, 2009

 

Told you! :-))))

5 Dec, 2009

 

He's quite a character.

16 Dec, 2009

 

He certainly is!

17 Dec, 2009

Add a comment

Featured on

Recent posts by spritzhenry

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    1 Apr, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    20 May, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Feb, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 Aug, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Nov, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    28 Jul, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    26 Jun, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    12 Jan, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    7 Jul, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    26 Apr, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    25 Aug, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    18 Sep, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    23 Nov, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Feb, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    29 Mar, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    23 Oct, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    18 Jul, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Nov, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    11 Apr, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 May, 2007

  • Gardening with friends since
    16 Jul, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 Aug, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Apr, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 Mar, 2010