tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post2436988822447904649..comments2024-03-02T23:39:15.327-05:00Comments on The Elka Almanac: Is My Doberman Smarter Than Your Honor Student?Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10562151546770315227noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-82589164234853582212012-04-20T22:35:05.370-04:002012-04-20T22:35:05.370-04:00Before Elka, it was really mostly mutts I knew. I ...Before Elka, it was really mostly mutts I knew. I didn't think any of them were dumb, but the ones I knew weren't brilliantly smart, either. Or maybe they were just raised differently; Elka is treated rather as a member of the family, and so she's very interactive, and that perhaps showcases her kind of intelligence better.<br /><br />I don't mind at all! When we were thinking of names, we wanted one that was German/Germanic/Eastern European sounding, as the Doberman has German origins. We weren't really coming up with much (I liked Lorelei, but apparently that was too close to an ex girlfriend's name for the fiance >.>), and then he remembered there was a girl in his high school named Elka who had moved to America from....somewhere. I liked the sound of it, and it was a name we felt we could say as frequently as you say a dog's name in a day, and there we were!Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10562151546770315227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-16532673498927010242012-04-20T22:30:58.156-04:002012-04-20T22:30:58.156-04:00I think there are further divisions (and it's ...I think there are further divisions (and it's funny, I just read an issue of Dog Fancy last night that included this) where you talk about "obedience intelligence" and independent thinking and things of that nature. It really has more to do, I think, with what the dog is supposed to be doing than "being smart" or "being dumb".Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10562151546770315227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-49062525903748599482012-04-20T07:49:15.884-04:002012-04-20T07:49:15.884-04:00It is nice to have a smart dog to work with and of...It is nice to have a smart dog to work with and of course to brag about.<br /><br />I guess I would take exception to that list. I have owned two of the breeds in the top 10 and our Chessies are far and away smarter than either of those breeds. However, if being biddable is the measure, then I guess I can understand it. Unfortunately for most Goldens and many Labs, the natural drive has been bred out of them which makes them more biddable. Chessies were bred to do their work independent of human direction, meaning that once trained and set on a task, they do it. Those traits have been preserved over the years and many are not what most would call biddable. Not that I wouldn't want a more biddable Chessie, but I also want the drive. It is a fine line.2browndawgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15792375606466389228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-66457717960148167072012-04-19T22:57:17.304-04:002012-04-19T22:57:17.304-04:00Elka sounds very smart indeed! I've noticed a ...Elka sounds very smart indeed! I've noticed a huge difference in the way a dog is smart depending on what it's bred to do (not bashing mutts, just harder to judge them as a whole). Take a lab for instants: very smart and very quick to learn and please you. Compared to a Dachshund who can be taught (if you start young and are as stubborn as they are LOL) commands and tricks but it takes time, but they think and problem solve so fast! It's incredible<br />Dachshund Nola's Mom<br />P.S. I'm still a fairly new reader, so if you don't mind me asking, how did Elka get her name?Dachshund Nolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12050622761352753529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-45933109814280958062012-04-19T22:32:03.446-04:002012-04-19T22:32:03.446-04:00I think they might have mutt ones as well...I conf...I think they might have mutt ones as well...I confess, I only have my eyes peeled for Doberman stuff most of the time (and it's criminal, how frequently I'm disappointed!)Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10562151546770315227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-14520752961226593572012-04-19T22:31:24.220-04:002012-04-19T22:31:24.220-04:00How very Sherlockian of them!How very Sherlockian of them!Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10562151546770315227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-70961509637965413252012-04-19T22:31:08.876-04:002012-04-19T22:31:08.876-04:00I have heard that they think dogs don't unders...I have heard that they think dogs don't understand words. I guess it's time to have a study with a robot giving a dog verbal commands....no body language to confound things!Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10562151546770315227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-44541286424289616112012-04-19T15:41:59.939-04:002012-04-19T15:41:59.939-04:00Hmmmm.... Do they make a bumper sticker that reads...Hmmmm.... Do they make a bumper sticker that reads: "My MUTT is smarter than your honor student"? I would totally buy that!! Because my BEAUTIFULLY UNIQUE Beagle/German Shepherd cross, Rose, is very smart!! But she's not a purebred!! ;op<br />And, yes, Elka does sound quite bright!! ;-DMary Louhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01005199691237610718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-55911540652322067362012-04-19T12:14:47.691-04:002012-04-19T12:14:47.691-04:00My Poodles are trying to find a rematch with the B...My Poodles are trying to find a rematch with the Border Collies. They can do inductive and deductive reasoning.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07145008534811435024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938120942169485220.post-35452369679083739932012-04-19T03:54:08.376-04:002012-04-19T03:54:08.376-04:00Heh, just the other day we saw a bumper sticker on...Heh, just the other day we saw a bumper sticker on the back of a car -- it said something like, "My __ dog is smarter than your honor student -- can't remember which dog it was. Did you hear that they say that dogs don't understand words? Know what I say to that? -- HUH?<br /><br />It sounds to me like Elka is pretty darn smart!! <br /><br />Woofs & hugs, <3<br /><br />~Bailey (Yep, I'm a girl!)Bailey Be Good!https://www.blogger.com/profile/09504004903852338047noreply@blogger.com