# Learning phrases by accident...?



## lrkellly (Jan 6, 2012)

Hi all,

We just discovered that "do you want to go home?" means "drop it" to Sprout. I guess we inadvertently trained him to drop the ball to this phrase when we play fetch at the park! If he would bring back the ball but not drop it, I would ask 'do you want to go home?' and if he didn't drop it, we went home... I noticed that in the park if I say this, he drops the ball.

So.. tried the phrase in the house.. and woop! Automatically drops the ball or toy. Actually, not only does he drop the ball or toy, he kind of throws it at us.. its so cute!

He seems to think that "drop it" means 'continue playing tug with your imaginary friend'...

Its pretty funny to say 'do you want to go home' to get him to drop the ball, when we are at home, and inside the house!

Anyway...

Ah.. so two questions:

Has your poodle learned any commands or phrases by accident? .. and..

Does your poodle play tug with an imaginary friend?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

"Nice warm towels" means jump up on my lap to be rubbed dry; "Shall we have a snuggle and a zizz?" sends them straight upstairs to my bed; "Where are my shoes?" starts the happy dance as it means a walk is about to happen!


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

Oh for sure!! The popular ones are "do you want a cookie? " "wanna go for a walk? " and "are you ready to go? " (which can mean anything...outside, car, whatever.) Another one trev picked up is "you have to stay here "...he's not real into it, but he understands that he isn't going with me when I say that.


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## caroline429 (Mar 5, 2012)

I just discovered that Cali knows the phrase "where's your ball?". Her ball is forever rolling under the couches and other inaccessible places when we're playing fetch. As I'm down on my hands and knees looking for it, I'm usually saying "where's your ball?". I said that the other day when I couldn't find it to start our game. She looked at me, tore off and crawled under the one couch she can fit under and came out with the ball!! I wondered if it was maybe a coincidence, so I put the ball in amongst her other toys (and there are a lot!) and asked her "where's your ball?". She ran over to the toy box and rooted around until she found the ball!


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## Ladywolfe (Jan 11, 2012)

This has happened, oftentimes with dogs I have had, when I am frustrated, and say something like, "Geez, I wish you would just go lay down." And, they would go away, and when I searched for them, they would be lying inside their crate.


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## stealthq (Aug 4, 2011)

So far, he's learned, without deliberate teaching from me:

'pen': get in your ex-pen, from watching my mother's dog

'go get a drink': when I know he's thirsty, but I don't want to come stand over him at the water bowl

'get your toy': pick up whichever toy you want and bring it with you

'get your bully': see above, but specific for the bully stick

'settle down': go and lie down somewhere, not necessary to do it on the spot; I think he picked the 'down' out of the phrase because he got that one the first time I used it


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## Arborgale (Dec 11, 2011)

Our last mini, Ruby picked up lots of phrases but one I always thought was neat was "move over" and "in the back". She went everywhere with us when the weather was cool enough. She would warm our seats while we were out of the car. When I came back I would tell her to move over and she would get in the next seat, or I would tell her to get in the back and she would go to the back seat. 

At night I would always say, "Let's go to bed, Fred", and she would get up from the floor and go up to bed with me. 

She also knew everyone's names including some extended family. If you asked where's daddy? She would go looking for him and find him. 

She was such a wonderful girl. I miss her.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

My sister's spoo quickly learned that "Bugger off!" meant "I am busy just now, darling, could you find something else to do?"!


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## Clicker (Apr 28, 2012)

Hi Arborgale!

Sorry to hear about Ruby. She had a pretty good life span but, I know it's never long enough. I would like to hear about her?/him? I lost a toy poodle named Honey in March of 2011 & I still think about her everyday! Sometimes still bringing me to tears. I had her for the last 2 1/2 years of her life but, my family owned her since she was about 8 weeks. I never thought she had a lot of personality but, boy was I wrong! We've owned poodles most of my life and it turned out that she was over the top with personality, more than any other dog we've had. She just loved life! I don't think she ever really learned any phrases by accident because she always seemed to understand everything that was said to her. She just seemed to know! I will always own poodles but, I don't think I will ever get the same connection that I had with Honey. Losing her was one of the saddest days of my life. My dog now, "Bailey" is still young so I'm trying to be optimistic that we'll have that connection one day but, I don't know? If not, I still love her with all my heart! I hope that your healing with Ruby gets easier as the days pass & I hope your with Rosie that your days get stronger!


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## Clicker (Apr 28, 2012)

Everyday when I leave for work in the morning and leave to go back to work after lunch, I say "bye Bailey, I'll be back". 

I'm constantly working on her recall. I went from "come" as that wasn't working to "get in here" which worked much, much better. Over the past week I have noticed that "get in here" hasn't been working as well as it did before. I'm not sure why?

The other day I told Bailey to "get in here" and she ignored me. So I said "bye". She came running like a small little torpedo! So far, every time I say that, same reaction. I may have to change my recall again or work on having 2 different recalls. Complex little creatures aren't they?


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## Sawyersmomma (May 28, 2012)

Piko- my eskie has learned "Sorry" and Sawyer's learning it too.
Whenever they see me get changed and put on shoes they go insane knowing they're going for a walk or car ride or something, so I would just say Sorry, you aren't coming.
Immediately Piko turns around and lays down. He won't look at me and just sulks lol. Sawyer just seems to calm down, but I'm sure it won't be long before he glares at me or sulks too


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## Clicker (Apr 28, 2012)

Sawyersmomma said:


> Piko- my eskie has learned "Sorry" and Sawyer's learning it too.
> Whenever they see me get changed and put on shoes they go insane knowing they're going for a walk or car ride or something, so I would just say Sorry, you aren't coming.
> Immediately Piko turns around and lays down. He won't look at me and just sulks lol. Sawyer just seems to calm down, but I'm sure it won't be long before he glares at me or sulks too


LOL! It must make you feel bad? Trust me, I know the feeling. She always looks sad when I leave.


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## Sawyersmomma (May 28, 2012)

Yes, :ahhhhh: I feel like the scum of the earth! Aha They'll be jumping around and all giddy, then just stop, walk away and not come near me aha


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## tokipoke (Sep 3, 2011)

I've been trying to teach Leroy to respond to "drop it" to make him let go of his toy. He never responds to this! But when I say "let go" he lets go of the toy. 

I think the main difference is "drop it" sounds harsh and typically I say it in a stern, mean way (can't help it!) as opposed to "let go" that flows and I basically whisper it or say it in a sing-song voice.


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## LizIsLame (Jul 2, 2012)

I used to have a mini daschund who thought "where's Joey" meant 'go get your toy'. I had a room mate named Joey and when he would be gone for days at a time I'd ask the dog where he was and one day I noticed he ran and grabbed his toy everytime I said it. It's the only command that dog ever learned.


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## Sawyersmomma (May 28, 2012)

So Sawyer learned a new command! Since I started biking with him I've been saying "get on your side!" when he runs to the other side of the bike and now he knows it means to walk on the other side. Also, "Round we go" means we're turning around now, and he just starts heading the other way:act-up:


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