Friday, July 27, 2012

Signs and Symbols

I've been thinking a lot about how we communicate with Elka, and how she communicates with us. Some of it is from working on the dog training book, some of it is just from those thoughts that surface when you interact with a dog as much as I do.

Dogs work off of body language, and scents, and sounds. Humans work off of body language, sounds, and words, both spoken and written. In fact, we humans take it a step further (if not more) and have symbols that aren't words, but still expected to mean things. Obviously, these things don't mean much, if anything, to dogs. But sometimes they catch their attention.

Last June, I wrote a post called The Things You Notice, where I talked about a red riding hood statue that was in a yard Elka and I frequently passed (now no longer there, sadly). Due to construction, we have a slightly different walk route lately, and today Elka noticed a Buddha statue in somebody's yard.


There are a lot of interesting things around town that I wouldn't have noticed without Elka. In fact, I've never been on that particular street but for walking my Doberman. I saw the following symbol on the sidewalk next to a fire hydrant. There are/were words there as well, but they're super worn away, so I'm not sure what it ever said. Is this fire hydrant kosher? 




And what's up with shoes on power lines? When I was little, and asked my dad about it, he said that they used to tie their shoes together and throw them on power lines on the last day of school, and walk home barefoot. I guess the intent was to spend the summer like that? Having spent summers (mostly) barefoot, it certainly made sense at the time. And this power line is near the local high school. However, I can't imagine my grandparents being happy with their children throwing shoes away once a year. And I've also heard somebody say that shoes on power lines mean drugs are sold in the area, which makes my woodlands idyll a little less idyllic. But, that might not be true either. Aren't urban legends fun? Folklore is completely fascinating to me, but I digress.


This picture is funny because it advertises a place in New Jersey near where I'm from. I never heard of them, but maybe next time I'm visiting I'll have to go there. According to their web site, they evidently have the biggest burritos on the Jersey Shore.



Elka and I went to slightly different place to walk, and the trail we took was marked with red.




This sign is very clear to people, but Elka is always very confused and perhaps a little concerned that I pick up her poop. What could I possibly be doing? With all of these other ways that humans communicate with one another, is it any wonder that dogs frequently end up dreadfully confused about our motivations.


And, not a sign or symbol, but so that this isn't an Elka-less post:









24 comments:

  1. Wonder what Elka makes of it? Have a lovely evening.
    Best wishes Molly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think she has looked up at the sneakers at least once, as if to say "Well, that doesn't go there"!

      Delete
  2. Never seen a Kosher fire hydrant! :) Have seen the shoes and been told it's related to drug sales though. Never looked into it though! Elka is most observant. Maybe I should open my eyes more on walks with Twiggy and Onyx!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, right? Seems like it could be a thing. Maybe.

      As Elka has gotten better on the leash, I've been able to become more observant! It's been a long road.

      Delete
  3. I heard about the shoes/drugs connection. Canine communication and body language is a fascinating area--I could never read enough about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's also funny how much it correlates, when you're reading about canine body language, to how humans act at times. Being an amateur dog psychologist has made my human psychology more relevant (at least in my head)!

      Delete
  4. I've also heard the drugs connected to the shoes, but I think it's probably just a youthful exuberance (and wastefulness) thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The joyful sin of excess? Could be. I know it seems like I destroyed/wore out sneakers awful fast when I was little!

      Delete
  5. Funny that you mentioned the shoes - I've often wondered about that myself!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't see it around town often, but I wonder every time. I guess each shoe-flinging individual does it for a different reason?

      Delete
  6. I don't know if I've ever seen shoes on a powerline before but I'd be curious as well. What I don't understand is why there are so many peanuts everywhere. It will forever baffle me.

    I've also wondered what my dog thinks when I pick up her poop. She always patiently waits for me but I wonder what is going through her mind. She probably thinks I'm insane.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peanuts everywhere? I haven't noticed that. Maybe it's a conspiracy? o.o

      Delete
  7. I always wondered about the shoes, and I've never heard either story. I like the first one best. I also always wonder what goes on in my dog's minds when I clean up after them, when I wash their dog beds after they get 'em good and smelly, when I bathe them after they get nice and muddy. They must think us humans are nuts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really do think that our dogs are just humoring us most of the time. I mean, what are they going to do about it, right? But any time I clean Elka's ears, or pick up her poop, something like that, she's all concerned "But that was mine! Hey!"

      Delete
  8. I love looking at signs on walks too and graffiti and kiddy chalk drawings on footpaths. Georgia used to go berserk whenever she saw little stone animals in people's yards. She would go up to them so cautiously for a little tentative sniff. Silly dog haha! I think for a sight hound, she's quite blur. I've heard the same thing about shoes and drugs. Quite a few this way as well :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, around Christmas time, the little snowmen and things on sticks were very confusing to Elka! Also little yard flags.

      Delete
  9. I'm glad to see Elka made a little appearance at the end :) Yep, there are so many things going on every day and us Dogs notice the smallest things -

    Take for example this morning, in our house Mum and Dad are on the computers but the 'bath' music is playing - it's the same music every weekend, I don't know if it will be bath day today or tomorrow, but I'm not taking any chances, I'm flying under the radar in the hope they'll forget!! :)

    Hope you're having a fun day,

    Your pal Snoopy :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can't have the Elka blog without Elka!

      Did you end up having to take a bath? ;)

      Delete
  10. My person sees all kinds of things that she wouldn't see if I didn't take her on walks. Sometimes I can't figure out what she's looking at though - or why she's getting out her camera.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To be fair, there are times I have no idea what Elka is looking at either!

      Delete
  11. I'm trying to use words less and my body more when communicating with dogs. They adapt to understanding our words so I should try to meet them half way. I'm far from fluent, however.

    I also like folkstales. Have you seen this? http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/sneakers.asp

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had not seen that, though I am a Snopes reader! Good to know that there just isn't an answer. I think that makes it even better ;)

      Delete
  12. Around here when they mark trees like that with paint, it usually mean they are going to cut them down. You have very interesting things on your walk. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are trees at the park that have bright orange landscaping tape wrapped around them, I assume for that purpose (though I hope not...some of them APPEAR healthy, and are big and old and cool).

      Sometimes, things are a little bizarre. I might need to try to take a rubbing at the Kosher Fire Hydrant to see what the words said.

      Delete