Funny Increased Awareness

[TazTalk]

So, Taz turned 3 back in July and just about that time he developed new habits showing a keener sense of awareness.

First, he discovered dogs and animals on TV. It started with the Travelers commercial where the dog has the bone in the dog house. He can be in another room and I think he recognizes the music and comes screaming into the living room and jumping around in front of the TV. He will also get all excited if there’s a duck, or a cat or just about any animal. We watched Marley and Me a couple months ago and he was riveted during the entire movie. And he never seemed to even notice there was a TV in the house before!

The other strange thing… he has started barking at airplanes! I really don’t understand this one. He will bark, circle, run around and look directly up at that area of the sky. He can’t possibly see something thousands of miles away, can he? Is it the sound that gets him going? (they are very distant though in our area - it's not like they are flying low)

Oh, and we had a blimp come by the neighborhood this summer – total freak out time!

It’s like someone flipped a switch with him and he now notices everything!

Any idea why he has changed like this?

[Idaho Cairns]

I haven't figured it out yet--with ours are quite selective when it comes to television--they usually pay little attention at all to anything on television but we were watching "Best In Show" again this week and Bonnie really got interested in the big Standard Poodle for some reason--lots of growls and yips when that dog was shown! Deer strolling by the patio window always get a reaction and, of course, squirrels but usually they don't seem to notice anything non-human outside the window.

[hheldorfer]

Buffy went through a period of barking at airplanes and helicopters when she was around 2 years old. I think it was the sound that set her off; now she's accustomed to it and doesn't seem to pay any attention. The TV only gets her attention when we're watching something with a barking dog, and even then she doesn't really look at the TV - she just gives her alarm bark to let us know that another dog is around.

[pindrop]

Layla is totally oblivious to TV for the most part. However, airplanes she can see and hear and will also look up into the sky and watch it travel across the sky. She is also into birds, the moon and anything else up there. I'll often be in our front yard and she will be looking at something over my shoulder making me turn around to see what has caught her attention. But...back to the TV - our previous dog (a Westie) would run into the living room on note one of a commercial and plant herself in front of the TV to watch her favorite ad. It always amazed us how she knew exactly what was on.

[remltr]

Sassy really has not interest in the visual aspects of the tv. But if she hears a door bell on the tv, it is off to the races for the front door.

My previous dog, Ginger, sat and watched the whole movie "Beethoven" but never cared about tv otherwise.

[Meggie]

Our Hub has been watching tv since he was a pup. Due to his prolonged experience in a pet shop's plexiglass box, when we first brought him home, he didn't understand we were trying to interact with him at all, he only interacted with other animals...even on tv. We used to put on a dog documentary for him so he'd hang out with us

He responds only to certain dogs but ANY farm animal (even down to rabbits) he whines for or wags his tail when he sees them on tv. The boy loves horses, cows, pigs, ducks, chickens.

I wonder what the sudden change is for Taz? Maybe he just got old enough to finally notice another form of stimulus!

[dianer]

Must be a relative of my cairn Max because both the tv critters and airplanes drove him mad. He got it from his mom. Look out, if you live near trains!

[_whits_]

Addie is completely uninterested in the television . . . except when a dog is barking or a baby is crying. She loooooooves watching other Cairns on YouTube (but I've never really shown her any other breeds) and looks at me all offended when I turn it off. Her ears perk up (even higher than usual), she keeps tilting her head, and looks at me like "do you see the Cairns mom?!?"

The cutest thing is the babies though. A few months ago, shortly after Addie came home, I was watching an episode of the Office, where a baby is born. The second the baby started crying for the first time, Addie came flying into the room, and was frantically searching all over the house for the baby. She seemed genuinely concerned, and started whining at me when she couldn't find it. Ever time a baby cries on TV she does the same thing. I think it might be because she spent some time with the infant her foster mom named her after, but she was definitely angry with me for not finding the baby that was crying.

Until the past couple of weeks, Addie has completely ignored any and all birds (and we have tons in the area), but suddenly is seems like a switch turned on and she's obsessed with them. There are a couple of bird feeders near the porch, and she watches what I call "Addie TV" for hours, staring at the birds coming and going. But she gets frustrated when I let her run out and the birds fly away.

[TazTalk]

So, it sounds like they either have the TV gene ... or they don't And that it can be quite selective. It certainly is entertaining to watch them react.

I remembered that I had a little evidence ... the Video is Taz "watching" the Traveler's commercial.

[Dempsy's Mom]

Isn't that something how they can react? Taz is really telling that dog off on TV. He is loving it.

Dempsy doesn't care about TV, but the other morning, after the time change, he was barking up a storm in the bedroom at 5:15 am .... hmmm what is he barking at? Then I smelled it - I had set the coffee maker for an early brew and Demps heard it. Amazing that he could hear that little gurgle all the way upstairs. Good dog Demps.

[janis]

"Sassy really has not interest in the visual aspects of the tv. But if she hears a door bell on the tv, it is off to the races for the front door."

Ditto for Kirby!

[pkcrossley]

i think the change probably also has to do with his age. when you look at the threads here you see that a lot of people start seeing changes in their cairns about ages two and a half to three and a half. i think that is when they actually mature, the brains and bodies slow down enough for them to be able to get a better grip on what is going on around them. better attention spans, more sociability with people (for those cairns who were too busy before), more aware of everything going on. they become even more interesting people themselves. a lot of people with a one year old can't understand why the dog doesn't act more grown up. i don't think cairns do grow up until about this age.

as for the tv thing, i agree taztalk, you get it or your don't. redmon and teddy have no interest in tv --but if somebody knocks on the door in a tv story, redmon goes crazy trying to keep them from getting into the house.

[sanford]

a lot of people with a one year old can't understand why the dog doesn't act more grown up. i don't think cairns do grow up until about this age.

I read a description of the breed somewhere that tactfully maintained that cairns can be "slow to mature".

[Hawkeye]

First off Taz is so cute in the video, of course, how could he not respond to that commercial...I love the Traveler's commercial with that dog. I totally agree with PK. I saw a big difference in Bailey when he turned 3, much more mature physically and emotionally. Bailey doesn't watch tv but I've noticed he has become quite the watch dog. He sits by the back slider door and watches for anything...leaves, squirrels, deer, dust, pollen - he is much more attentive to what goes on outside now. I don't think I heard him bark until after he turned 2.

[tlwtheq]

Taz is just too cute in that video! His barking was enough to have my guys

come running in to see what was happening.

[TazTalk]

Well that is very interesting about maturing, slowing down and being more aware. Taz the Spaz is still pretty crazy and full of puppy like energy. But perhaps he is changing emotionally. Speaking of changes, when he was around 1-1/2 to 2 years old he had several petit mal (focal) seizures. These really scared us and we were worried about how they might progress. We are so pleased that we have not seen one in the past year and are hoping he outgrew them.

Thanks all for sharing how your Cairns observe the world. It's pretty amazing what they pick up on -- crying babies, door knocking, bells, dust, deer, coffee, the moon!!

I must say that Cairns are fully engaged in life!

[Lynn in TN]

As of right now Kelly goes ballistic over the food processor, and the wind. I have no idea why.

[dianer]

Ok that is wierd. So did Max. Got to be a relative!

[Ivy & Lucy's Mom]

Believe it or not, Ivy watches The Dog Whisperer. She watches, turns her head, makes noises, and even barks. It is so cute. My other dog could care less.