Do they Learn by Watching?

[kjwarnold]

Do you think our Cairns can learn by watching another dog doing something? We've moved on to Advanced Obedience and I've noticed that when the instructors are demonstrating a new command with their demo dog, Kirby watches very carefully. He's really focused on what they're doing. And sure enough when we take our turn to try out the new command, he does it almost perfectly even if we've never done it before. I think it's really interesting to consider that they can learn by watching another dog.

By the way, Kirby leads in the Sit/Stay competition that we have at the end of each class (which dog will Sit/Stay the longest). He's even made it through the Wiggly Giggly ball rolling around 6 feet in front of him. The class is all Labs and a Standard Poodle. Packy is "auditing" the class even though he's already been through it, but he loves going so we couldn't leave him at home...

[oscar's mom]

I think Kirby is one smart doggie.

[Kramersmom]

I think they learn by watching. My sister had two pugs, one just passed away. Well, she had Buster first and got Sammie 3 years later. Buster NEVER lifted his leg to potty until he saw Sammie lifting his leg and he started to lift his leg to potty. So, I think they learn very well by watching. Another reason why Cairns are so darn smart.

[The Cairn Farm]

Definitely!

[iRusty00]

I think Kirby is just smart ;D

[Puddlesmama]

I think Cairns live by the rule " Whatever you can do, I can do better!"

[sheila and Misty]

the answer to your question...absolutely!!! mixed with instict,,,one smart cairn!

[DawnandTuk-tuk]

Oo, oo I know the answer to this one! I just graduated with my BS in Psychology and we learned about this in several different classes (and I even saw an interesting example on the Discovery channel-after I had learned about it). The answer is YES! Many animal species learn behaviors through observation, most are from their parents in the wild, but Kirby is obviously taking this to his class. Any animal that uses a tool does so through learned behavior (and its not just primates who use tools, even birds use tools-a finch in the Galapagos uses twigs to get at bugs inside holes in trees) and this behavior has to be relearned every generation. The Discovery channel example was of adult Orcas teaching adolescents how to tilt floating ice flats that seals would take shelter on to escape the Orca. The adult would sorta beach themselves on the ice flat making it tilt so the seal would start to slide off, but they wouldn't do it so hard as to make it slide off completely. Then they'd encourage the adolescent to do the same, over and over, until the younger ones got the hang of it and could slide the seal off. It was amazing and brutal to watch, but it's a learned behavior through observation. Nature is so cool! Anyway, just goes to show what an awesome dog Kirby is learning through watching.

[avlsarah]

I definitely think so. I've seen it happen!

My Maxwell never used to jump on furniture. I would try to entice him up on the sofa with me, and the nearest he could get was putting his front paws on it and getting frustrated.

Last weekend we had a play date with a Westie from his kennel. They were running around inside, generally being crazy, and Abby jumped up on the sofa to get away from Max. He sat there looking perplexed and amazed, almost as if he was thinking "Huh. It hadn't occurred to me that we could do that." Then on the next go round, Maxwell chased Abby right up to the very back of the sofa.

Now at home he doesn't even think twice before jumping on the sofa if he wants to settle in. He just pops right up, without any fuss at all.

[Hawkeye]

I agree...I think they do learn by watching. When we brought Bailey home, he watch Casey (our westie) and copied her behavior in the house. Lucky for us Casey is very good. One problem Bailey had was he was much too busy in the yard to do his business, but when Casey would go potty and we praised her...then Bailey would do the same :-)

Congratulations on Kirby...he is a very smart dog!

[eastofeden]

I certainly hope so. Izze watches the Utility dogs at training so intently that I hope something is seeping into that brain of hers.

I have a friend who has JRT's. She does agility with her younger one, but not her older one. One afternoon....for fun she thought that she would go out ant play with her older dog on the some of the equipment. That dog went through the course and the obsticles like she hab been actively training. So yes...I think they do learn by watching....as this dog had been ringside everytime she practiced with the younger dog.

[thekabbott]

Not only do they learn by watching other dogs... but if my puppy has an accident in the house, I always clean it up with toilet paper or paper towels. Well the other day I heard Mahle grab the toilet paper roll and run down the hallway, and I picked up the paper and under it was a wet/still warm pee-pee spot.... I am kind of worried about exactly how smart this dog will be because she is only 5 months old right now... I can't imagine as she gets older and wiser what kind of mischeif this dog will be capable of!! hahaha

[ShaabaMcShaabsons]

I certainly believe so! I live on the top floor of a walk-up building. I'm not paper training my pup, so that means lots of running up and down stairs every day. Well, I used to have to carry Shaaba up and down the steps; he would plant his feet and refuse to move when we got to the steps. My building has those "floating" stairs, so I figured he was scared at being able to see to the bottom. One time, however, my boyfriend and I took him out together, and it was raining out, so I ran back inside and up the first flight of steps. Imagine my surprise (and EXCITEMENT!!) when Shaaba ran up after me! He's been going up (and down) steps ever since!

[Idaho Cairns]

I think Cairns imitate behavior of other dogs in the house--I guess that is learning by observation. It has long been my belief that it is better to have two Cairns in the house--a younger one always in training. We watched our now four year old "learn" (imitate) the behavior of the then fourteen year old Cairn--noise aggression, friendliness with people, response to discipline, feeding habits, willingness to share food, etc. and when the old dog died last year, we found another puppy to raise with the then mature and well trained four year old. Consequently, our problems with the new puppy have been minimized, matter of fact, it has been the easiest puppy we have had in our home. So much behavior is transferred--the preference to go outside to potty, the reaction to voice commands, the behavior when in public,--it is just amazing how much alike dogs, in the same environment, can be even tho they are not of the same bloodlines and years apart.