jacqui835 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Ever since moving to Adelaide my dog has faced fierce competition from the ants for his food. At first, he would run away as though small, they bite and he has a very thin coat. He would come running to me and I would spend the next 10 mins trying to remove the ants whilst trying to avoid their bites so he could access his food. How times have changed... He is now an anti-ant machine! We're in the loungeroom right now and there are some random ants that hang around in one corner on the carpet, near a window. There's always like 1 or 2 to be found, and the pooch is often waiting for them. When he spies one, he races across to it and half gobbles half inhales up his nose said ant. It's so cute, because he has quite a long snout, so if he's looking for one whilst trying to sniff it, he has to turn his head on an angle and his huge ears hang down over his head. If I see an ant, I can now tell him and point and he races over to deal with the intruder. It's awesome really, we were too scared to use any poisons because of poochy, but poochy has solved the problem for us. (and yes I call my dobe x rottie poochy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aannie Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Our JRT used to snaffle any bush cockroaches that came into the house and take them outside for us. Was hilarious. Also, we had a fresh water swimming pool and the frogs used to love swimming in it and we would go frog hunting and he'd stick the end of his nose under the water at the end of the pool to get the frogs out for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory the Doted One Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 She knows who are the delivery guys and barks and growls, so I know to let them in the back door. She knows the sound of all of the BF's cars (and whines a certain way), so we know when he is a couple of minutes away and I can be ready to walk out the door. She does like to obsessively catch flying insects. This is only useful if it is a fly. Down right stressful if it is a bush full of bees or wasps....and she can watch a bush for hours waiting for the right opportunity to pounce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 My dog lets out one short bark (at the waterbowl) when he empties it - so I know to fill it back up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiekaye Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 A cat that ate snails and then wanted to smooch, slime......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui835 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 She knows who are the delivery guys and barks and growls, so I know to let them in the back door.She knows the sound of all of the BF's cars (and whines a certain way), so we know when he is a couple of minutes away and I can be ready to walk out the door. She does like to obsessively catch flying insects. This is only useful if it is a fly. Down right stressful if it is a bush full of bees or wasps....and she can watch a bush for hours waiting for the right opportunity to pounce. Ha I forgot about that. My dog somehow remembers the sound of everyone's cars and instead of barking like he normally does, he just goes and stands at the door, ready for loving Yeah my dog has always been interested in bugs, and once or twice he has found giant spiders and although I don't think they're particularly dangerous, I'm not a good person around spiders :s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Lily the Toy Poodle barks to be let out and back in again. Of course, she doesn't care that there's a dog door Apparently ladies of mature years don't demean themselves by using them. She was a good mouser in her day too. Not sure the boys have many useful habits apart from killing tall weeds by peeing on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosmum Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Lou is a spider stomper.She is a mimic though,so has lots of very useful little tricks.She is getting on now,but used to always bark if we were out in the paddock when the phone rang and if we were too slow would try to pick it up herself. After years of complaining about the men folk leaving dirty socks lying around,Lou solved the problem by putting them out side when ever she finds them. She would herd the littlies under the car when the big dogs did zoomies.Helped me "weed" the garden(came along behind pulling every thing I "missed") She likes to join in any thing I do and mimic all sorts of behaviour,so thats some times helpful,some times not! Pids is a protector,he watches over any smaller animals or baby animals and keeps the rowdier ones away with a growl and puts himself between.He is also the bug alert dog and points them out for me to put out side.If Lou looks longingly at whatever bed hes on,he will go find another,and sits with her when there are storms. Pids is much like Lou.Always watching and picking up new things to suprise us with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissyPriss Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Love the ant habit, thats cute! Living in Darwin, we have a constant battle with fallen palm fronds, forever picking them up from our large back and front yards. My middle furkid just lurves playing and tearing them up, so over the years we have developed a technique to help load them in the ute. He races around with us, and when I pick one up, he picks one up. I then drag mine to the ute, with my boy following closely behind. He drops it next to the ute and races off to find another! Of course he is treated for his help, in the form of being allowed to rip one apart when we finish up. Very helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Boo knows how to open the front door (once I have unsniped the lock) - very handy when you have your hands full! He lets out one bark when someone knocks on the door and its loud and deep enough that unless the person is there for a reason like a delivery, they don't knock a second time I had thai food delivered recently and by the time I got to the front door the poor delivery boy had shut the security grill and the gate and was waiting on the pavement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfthewords Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) When I say 'walk,' Carl goes to the dog cupboard, opens it, and brings me 2 leads (one for him and the other for Misch!). Does the same with slippers, DVDs (knows Jurassic Park series by number as well as a few misc horror movies), things that are dropped and of course toys that are thrown. Funny thing is I never taught him to retrieve. I dropped my toothbrush the other day and went to get it with my foot, but he beat me to it! Mischa chases off plovers during spring. She has no fear and somehow manages to avoid having her eyes plucked out. Must be her size on her side?? All 4 of them also open the sliding door to come inside so you usually don't have to...but then they don't close it. Edited January 31, 2011 by halfthewords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogie Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Issy helps with the laundry - picks up OH's dirty socks (eeuurrrggh)! Drops them in the laundry basket about 70% of the time now. Don't ask about the other 30% bit more work needed but getting there. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dxenion Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 My youngest has learnt that by using his nose, he can push close various things ie door, dishwasher, drawers, fridge. Very useful when your hands are full - not so useful when you are trying to go through the door, load the dishwasher, get something out of the drawer or fridge......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DobieMum Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I remember growing up with Mum's bitch who went everywhere with her, bar work. If Mum walked out in shorts or jeans, she would have a kelpie, bounding along side her, but if Mum walked out in a skirt, barely an eye would be opened and you had to step over her to get out the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Kibah is the eco friendly pest controller, her specialties are flies, huntsman spiders and mice. She eats the flies and huntsmans and kills the mice for disposal by me, which generally consists of me putting them on a fence post for the birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oskar & Zsa Zsa Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 We are yet to see what little helpful things young Oskar will do. He's only 9 weeks old, so I guess we will have to allow him sometime! However, a friend of ours has a Vizsla and he actually puts the washing in the washing machine for her. I have a video on my phone somwhere of it, I will try and find it and load it somewhere to look at. She asks him to "Do the Washing" and he goes to the dirty laundry basket in her room, then item by item, takes it to the laundry and pops each item into the top loader washing machine. Sometimes if he doesn't position it quite in the right spot, he will have to use a paw to push the offending item in. Very cute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Mine always alert me to those hit and run delivery guys. You know the ones, they write out the notice before they get out of the van, do a quick knock and dash back to their van as quickly as possible, before you can open the door. The dogs bark the second someone steps out of the van so I am always there to greet them Just thought of another one, Ava likes to carry things in her mouth so when I'm picking up the Kongs and toys in the yard when I get home, she always helps me. It's like having an extra hand. Edited January 31, 2011 by wuffles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piperspal Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Magnum will drag heavy stuff for me if he can (he's a big dog), while Addy is just a lady and ladies dont do manual labour. Piper is the bug dog, as well as the mouser, lizard and anything else dog. Milo, well he is just a clown, so nothing there....... Piper would have to be the best at healping tho, she is a toy poodle, and will help when I am gardening by hanging off the end of whatever I am carrying. although if I tell her to carry something she will, as long as it is not too heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VJB Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Heidi will do one short bark when she finds a bee on the ground. It alerts me, and I know that bark well. People visiting think it is odd when we are sharing a cuppa and my dog does one bark. I say "Excuse me a moment, my dogs found a bee" :rolleyes: She also keeps time very well, and will stand up and wait at gate just before the school bus comes home. Its routine. I have a feeling she knows the last click of the washing machine, as she often gets up and goes to stand by the machine. She brings the mail in, but drops it too soon. And she is great at catching flies hanging around the windows, I just never want it to be a wasp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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