How is it that our dog can sleep through a 250 mile trip (with one needed break), “hear” the last left directional blink , and jump up knowing we’re home?
On short local trips she’s aware of the surroundings and kind of knows the roads ; shopping, walks, work places,etc., though she’s mostly a back-seat driver. It’s interesting and makes me wonder about intelligence, sixth sense or adaptation. Or maybe we smell like "are we finally home, time for a shower "-
Our golden knew when we were near the cabins. Maybe 10 miles away on a 500 mile trip she was antsy pantsy. As soon as we got there even 14 years old would hop out of the car and run crazy, then give us the look, can I go swimming? OK go. Dive off the dock she would, and swim.
3 Likes
I saw a PBS show a long time ago where they took a dog owner to the village to have tea and go shopping and a worker from the show went with her and told her suddenly they were heading home. As soon as they started home the dog jumped up on the back of the couch in front of the window and started looking for her. We have a 16 year old west Highlan Terrier. We had to leave our house about a year ago and move into Assisted living because of my wifes physical condition. Out granddaughter moved into the house and took care of the dog and we have since sold her the house. It has a large treed and fenced yard wit a very part open and part wooded field behind it. The dog enjoys the yard and spend about 12 hours a day patrolling the yard for varmints.
The dog enjoys riding in the car goes on trips to the groomer,vet and social visits but gets really excited when the trip is to our apartment for a visit.
Well, they do have incredible sense of smell. Perhaps the area has some unique odor they can associate with that destination.
A friend used to bring his dog to my house (in his car) once in a great while. I’ll never forget the time he hadn’t been to my house in maybe a year. The dog went immediately to the basement door and started whining. When we let him through he made a beeline for a bench trying desperately to get under it and we discovered a tennis ball I let him have the last time was stuck under there.
2 Likes
Yeah, I’m thinking sense of smell has a lot to do with it. That’s almost how they ‘see’ the world.
Yes, dogs can identify specific areas by specific scents. My late Labrador Retriever was one of those rare dogs that don’t really enjoy riding in the car–just like his mother, according to the breeders. So, when we would take a ride, he would hunker down on his blanket on the rear seat, rarely getting up to look around.
However, as soon as we were within a few blocks of my home, he would always get up and start gazing out the window. Clearly, he knew that we were approaching home and because he hadn’t been looking at our surroundings, he had to have identified the neighborhood by some sort of unique smell.
1 Like
There are smart dogs and then dumb dogs like mine. I’m hoping she’ll never find her way back from Iowa. At least that’s where they told me she went. To some happy farm down there. Maybe they meant the happy hunting ground.
Our cat though was pretty smart and would always come back and rattle the door knob to announce her arrival.
My old Department Head had a husband who was downright scary. He had a couple of German Shorthaired Pointers that he used for hunting, and because one of them didn’t “hunt” properly one day, he shot it.
He was a very strange guy, who had once been a machinist, but decided one day to just stop going to work at the age of 50-something. His only redeeming quality was that he was able to keep their old Buick Electra 225 running like a charm, and when some parts were no longer available, he made them himself. He apparently also made parts for their washing machine and some other appliances, so he was definitely a talented machinist.
yikes. Surprised no one shot him after he stopped working “properly” !
1 Like
Sadly, his wife was totally subjugated by him, so despite the fact that he probably owned more weapons than the nearby National Guard Armory, she stayed with him. After we witnessed what she had to endure at home, none of us were really surprised when she said, “Because of what I go through at home, I like to dominate men at work”. 
But, I guess that as long as the Electra 225 started every morning, she was able to put up with the Neanderthal to whom she was married.
Kinda car related. We had an asst high school principal that everyone was afraid of. He kept good order though. When he retired, in addition to ms,ing a pest of himself at every town council meeting, he sold his wife’s car. He said she didn’t need it. After he went to the great beyond, she bought whatever car she wanted.
He did keep good order at the school though which is something that is not always the case now.
1 Like
That’s really sad, but at least she kept a wry sense of humor. I’ll bet that Electra kept her thinking she could keep going. far away.
Yes, I think that’s how my dog did it, when I drove him to his favorite go-for-a-ride spot, Carmel. Sleeps the entire way, 90-100 minute drive, 1/8 mile from the Carmel beach parking lot, up and can’t wait to get out of the car.
1 Like