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dvpierce wrote:

geekette28 wrote:

Those of you with large dogs, be grateful that they can't climb up on your chair with you and 'get in your face' about being fed.

My cat headbutts.

I taught all of ours to. I miss it since the last of them moved on, hopefully to keep the folks company. Rest 'em all well.

Animals are smarter than many believe they are.

Alex also had the emotional level of a 2-year-old child, Pepperberg says. After repeating some learning trials dozens of times, Alex would become tired and throw objects off the trays with his beak. When visiting the veterinarian, Alex would go back in his cage and slam the door.

How would Alex say goodbye? Pepperberg says that she imagines it would sound something like what Alex would say to her every night before going to bed: "You be good. I love you. See you tomorrow."

Alex the Parrot, an Apt Student, Passes Away

Fresh Air from WHYY, November 12, 2008 · Although his brain was no bigger than a walnut, Alex the African gray parrot could do more than speak and understand — he could also count, identify colors and, according to his owner Irene Pepperberg, develop an emotional relationship. When Alex died in September 2007, his last words to Pepperberg were "You be good. I love you."

In her new book, Alex & Me, Pepperberg explores the world of animal cognition and describes her unique relationship with Alex.

Pepperberg is adjunct professor at the Department of Psychology at Brandeis University and a lecturer and research associate at Harvard University. She is also the author of The Alex Studies.

'Alex & Me': The Hidden World Of Animal Minds

You can has podcast[s] if you want, too.

Same with my dog, but he sometimes is frozen into position until I give a signal or command to go out.    For a while, any sign of movement toward hat, gloves, socks or sunglasses warranted an uprising.

Nefarious wrote:

Yep

Onions, garlic, medium and dark chocolate, macadamia nuts and something else.  White chocolate is rather safe, I read.  But then a dog doesn't need white chocolate.

I didn't know about onions, that's useful information. As for garlic, I find it disgusting and won't have it in the house.

My dog happens to like cooked turnip. No butter or gravy necessary either. Eats it up quicker than any dry food.

Pariah wrote:

Speaking of accute hearing: Sadie can hear me putting on socks from another room. It's funny, it has become a bit of a challenge for me to see if I can put my socks on so quietly that she wont come running, hoping for an outing.
Being that the putting on of socks is a pretty silent affair I am always amazed that she can hear me doing it..

Lately he's learned that when I grab the ipod it's walk time. I don't know if it's sight (squareish thingie with things swinging from it) or sound (the one of metal picked up from the kitchen table)that he picks up on. I've put on my coat and hat without him getting very attentive.

I believe my cat is a dog trapped in a cats body. The damn thing lays down to drink her water.