I literally have no idea what this dog does and does not understand

So, the other day, we (the household, Elka included) were sitting on the couch, watching a movie. Night Watch, for those interested. It's a Russian urban fantasy film based on the first of a series of books by Sergei Lukyanenko. Very much worth checking out.

But I digress.

(this is a blog stock photo, it's not warm enough yet to have the door open, not by a long shot. But this is approximately where she was on the couch, anyway)

In one scene, a couple of people who are neighbors in an apartment building are talking about a puppy, how cute it is, how somebody found it, etc. In movies like this  (....movies in general.....) nothing good tends to happen to animals. It's a terrible trope, and one I'd really like movie makers and storytellers to move away from. So it's unfortunately familiar.

Our housemate, who Elka is sitting with/on, while petting Elka, observes "That puppy's gonna die."

Spoiler: the puppy does not.

Elka, who had been relaxed, eyes half open, turns her ears sideways and starts whine/moaning.

That we could tell, there was no other stimuli to upset her. No ice fell off the house. She didn't get up, didn't piloerect, nobody came to the door, nobody felt ill. To all appearances she was also physically fine, didn't need to go out, nothing. Our only answer is Elka was responding to what our housemate said about the puppy, and she was nearly inconsolable for a good five minutes. We told her at length "No, the puppy is fine. And look, one of the main characters has a Doberman! The Doberman is fine too! It's okay!" and finally she settled again.

But seriously?