Stupid pet tricks

[mstang67chic]

I'm still at my dad's and the antics of their cats (one in particular) made me wonder. We've been talking about our animals lately so fess up...what kind of weird, out of character for that animal things do your fuzzbutts do?

They have 3 cats here... one for each kid. The cat (Cuddles) belonging to my 20 yr. old sister has severe anxiety. She rarely comes out of my sisters room when people are here. It took a few years of me coming around before she got used to me.

The middle cat, Butterscotch, is my bro's cat although his favorite person is my step-mom. I slept in her bed last night and felt a cat jump on the bed. I knew it was Butterscotch and unburied myself from the covers to pet him. He stopped in his tracks, had a slightly astonished look on his face for a second, then got all huffy and stomped off. (apparently I wasn't who he expected)

The youngest cat........oy. Snuggles is one that will pee on your stuff if you tick him off but is otherwise very affectionate. I just heard him at the sliding glass door making weird sounds. He barks at the chipmunks, squirrels and birds. He also plays fetch with his cat toys. He's the one who, if in the bathroom with you, will stand on the sink and put his front paws on your shoulder while you are sitting there. He has a little red pom-pom and will also make you play with him when you are in the bathroom. He'll bat it under the door and stands there until you send it back or shoves his paw under the door to feel around for his toy.

So tell us.........what odd things do your pets do?

 

[Hound dog]

Bruce is the stray cat we took in last year about this time. Sweetest lil guy. Too cuddly though. Never thought I'd say that. lol

Well, seems Bruce has an issue with the floor. Not quite sure what the problem is. Could blame it on the dogs except Molly doesn't ever bother him, and he and Betsy play together on a reg basis.

Bruce WILL NOT touch the floor unless he simply has no other choice. He'll hop from pieces of furniture (often daring leaps even for a cat) or objects to get around the house. We rarely ever see his feet touch the floor. Except to eat. And that's because I refuse to put his dish on the table.

Oh, and Molly has some major arthritis going on in her jaw. So she gets a mix of canned food and dry. Bruce has been having a major fit of late each time I open a can of dog food for her, demanding to know where his can of food is. lol1

Have to think on the dogs a while. They've been here longer and their antics don't seem so odd anymore. lol

 

[donna723]

My youngest Boston, Katy, can throw a ball or a toy ... to HERSELF! Somewhere I've got a picture of her doing it - I'll have to look for it. If I get tired to throwing the ball for her to chase, she just takes matters into her own hands ... ummm, paws! She finds a corner, sometimes the corner of the dining room or sometimes the corner where the bookcase meets the wall. Or sometimes she does it on the sofa where the back of it meets the arm. She wedges the ball into the corner and then shoves her smooshy little black nose under it ... she inches it up ever so slowly, bracing it against the corner, until she gets it about a foot off the floor. Then with one big mighty upward thrust of her head she launches it up in the air hard enough to hit the ceiling and bounce off .. then she chases it down and starts all over again. She's very good at amusing herself.

Her 'sister', Ragan, has managed to accidentally stand on her head in the recliner maybe a half-dozen times. Unfortunately, I never had the camera nearby when she did it. She has skin allergies and she was trying to scratch her own back. She'd get in the recliner and wedge her head into the seat of it with her front paws on either side of her head. Then she'd press her back into the back of the chair and give these little jumps with her back legs, which is hard to picture but it rubbed her itchy back against the back of the chair. She'd be over there just hopping like crazy and a few times she'd push too hard with her legs, her little butt went straight up in the air (the chair leaned back a little and was supporting her weight) and she was standing on her head! Her eyes were huge but she wasn't scared. I think it amazed her to see how different the living room looked upside down!

 

[mstang67chic]

 

[TerryJ2]

Awwww! LOL!

Donnie, you need to get a video of that.

My border collie mix used to be able to open the front door lock--an old Williamsburg style brass key lock. I had to lock the door and hang the key up on a hook for several yrs.
My rough coated collie opens doors with-his needle nose. He breaks the kiddie locks on the cupboards because the treats are in there. Mostly, though, he bumps into things, since he's blind. (I guess that's not a trick, is it?)

He loves to play with-cats. He bops them on the head with-his paws just like he's a cat.

 

[flutterbee]

Stupid pet tricks? So, this infers there are pet tricks that aren't stupid?

Had Buster out front the other night with his harness and leash letting him walk around on his own. Hydro the kitty was having the best time attacking the leash. Hydro is about 15 pounds to Buster's 5.7. Hydro is laying on the leash and Buster tries to run to us and does a complete flip when he came to the end of the lead. He was SO confused. Hydro looked very amused and didn't budge.

 

[Andy]

I can picture Hydro with a cat's attitude of content, "Yep, that's what I thought would happen - stupid dog!" Poor Buster!

Our puppy plays catch with a sock or a stuffed animal. She then brings the item to me to throw but will not let go for me to throw it.

Bella is also refining a method in destroying stuffed animals. First the eyes are chewed off then the tail. Finally the stuffing is pulled out.

 

[mom_in_training]

We recently adopted a Chihuahua. Very odd breed. Hmmmm, He will be playing with his toys and he will turn his head upside down in between his front legs and play with his toy staying like that. Also I have never had a dog that will stare up in the sky to watch a plane or flock of birds fly overhead. He does, Its crazy!!! Anything that moves outside for the most part majorly distracts him from doing his duty outside. Its actually becoming a problem because ummmm he needs to do all of that outside period. I can take him out and he will do nothing but five minutes later find that he went somewhere in the house. He does not get the full run of the house either.

 

[Wiped Out]

I wouldn't call this a trick because it annoys me to no end but my dog is an escape artist. Just the other day we were on a walk and husband was walking her (usually it's only easy child or me) and she saw another dog and somehow managed to get out of her harness and escaped. Before we had our fence Ella used to do this a lot but never while easy child or I walked her.

 

[KTMom91]

Buddy can "give me five" with his left front paw, and shake hands with his right. He knows how to open the "bacon jar" where his meaty treats are. He can say mama and he sings when he hears the right music.

Cadence Rat couldn't wait for me to put her papaya banana yogurt bits on my hand for her...as soon as I opened the cage door, she dived into the bag. I have no idea how many pieces she actually got, but she seemed pleased with herself.

 

[Hound dog]

Molly will bring you the toy you ask for. She used to do this by color when she had toys of different colors as a puppy. I don't give Molly commands......I talk to her like a person and she does whatever I want her to do. It's been this way since she was a puppy.

Molly has this huge hollow plastic ball. We got it for her to "herd" in the back yard because she pops every other ball known to mankind. She's had it 5 yrs now and herds it every day. Sometimes, though, I have to put it away to give her a break. It drives her insane. lol I had a rubbermaid bin I used to keep it in until she figured out how to open the lid and get it out. Nichole put it in one of the little tyke playhouses (closing the door and shutters over the windows) and Molly opened the shutters, hopped inside, balanced the ball on her nose until she had it back out of the window then jumped out of the house. So now I have to hide it in the family room I swear to God she glares at me. And she'll go on and on trying to get me to give it to her.

Betsy has been confused every since Bruce came to live with us. She now thinks she's part cat. She hops up on the coffee tables (this is a basset/lab mix) and almost broke her neck trying to get up into the window sill with Bruce one day.

Heather I cracked up over the cat and Buster. Too bad you didn't catch that one on tape.

donna someday you've got to get a picture of that.

 

[donna723]

Oh, Daisy, that sounds so familiar! I got Katy a junior size basketball to 'herd' in the house. She loved it but she drove me absolutely nuts with it! She'd 'herd' it into places she couldn't get it out of, like between the washer and the wall, and I had to keep rescuing it. She never gave up trying to get it in her mouth! She'd back it in to a corner and scrape her teeth against the grain of the basketball over and over and over ... and over! Most horrible noise you could ever imagine! I finally had to take it away. It's now hidden in the laundry hamper in the back bedroom - but she knows it there!

I have to be really careful when I take her out. We don't have a fenced yard so she has to be on a leash when she goes out. Her other trick is being able to pull her head out through her collar whenever she wants to! She's very 'bullish' for a Boston, very chunky and very muscular through the neck and shoulders. Her neck is actually bigger around than her head is so she just puts on the brakes and pulls backwards and the collar comes off right over her head! She does this every once in a while, just to show me that she can.

 

[SRL]

I learned today that my feisty kitty held Grandma hostage in my downstairs bathroom last weekend.

They came over to paint without telling me they were coming, or else I would have arranged to be home or at least left kitty treats in the garage for them. Apparently mother in law came in without seeing him and went to the bathroom and when she emerged he stood outside guarding the door with wide, glowing eyes. Finally father in law came in looking for her and chased my big boy off with the threat of a broom.

This same cat delivers laundry to me as if it were prey. He comes upstairs mewing loudly, drops it at my feet, and flops over waiting for his praise. I get plenty of freshly killed socks and undies, but bras are his favorite. Once when I was gone he dragged a huge beach towel up the two flights of stairs and into the kitchen. I'd love to know how he managed that feat.

 

[Hound dog]

SRL he's just a big brave kitty yesh he is!

 

[mrscatinthehat]

Oh, dear the images. I have one dog that croaks like a frog and another that meows like a cat. The cats will attack strangers if the sense stress when they come in. The dogs and cats work together and live together as one pack. They even groom each other. Not sure what else but I will probably think of something.

beth

 

[gcvmom]

Harley, our younger cat, will retrieve a paper wad if you throw it, drops it at your feet and waits for you to throw it again. He's also good at opening cupboard doors. He also cannot resist any drinking vessel with liquid in it left on the dining room table. He. Will. Knock. It. Over. Won't do this if you leave it on the kitchen counter. Only the table.

Whiskers, our older cat, is pretty much a neurotic blob that runs to his food bowl and meows for someone to put MORE in it, even if there's already food in it.

Herbert, our hen, comes running if you call her name and make loud kisses. If she sees you holding something that might be food, she'll jump up in the air to get a better look and/or try to grab whatever it is. If you pick her up and cradle her under your arm or hold her in your lap, she'll fall asleep after a few minutes.

husband, the spousal unit, will buy $99 worth of crap if you turn him loose in the 99 cent store.

I know, that last one's not really a pet, but it's a stupid trick, nonetheless. And I didn't even teach him that. He learned it on his own. Honest.

 

[busywend]

My Scrappy fetches his ball. He also can catch it in both paws. He tries to stop it from going past him. He also dives behind the couch if you throw it and it falls back there. It is funny to watch him disappear.

He loves to stand on the tub while you shower. Only twice has he fallen in and it was not as ugly as I had feared it would be. He tried to get the drips of water running down the shower liner.

He hides under the bed and when you walk by he tries to capture your feet.

He hides in any room you want him out of so he gets a treat. He comes running as soon as you shake the treat container. difficult child hates to have him in her room so he waits outside her door and then runs in when she opens it. He just knows the only way to get him out is to give him a treat.

At night after I have gone to bed, I can hear him throwing his ball down the back stairway, retrieve it and then run up the stairs to throw it down again. It makes me laugh every night.

 

[Marguerite]

My sister had a cat who used to come when you whistled and would sit on command. He also used to go rabbit hunting every day, most days bringing home a rabbit. Quite an achievement for a white cat! He also would stand his ground against a dog, would beat up the dog if it got too close and tried to get too rough.

We used our very small corgi to round up the sheep when we first got them. After a while they learned their own way back to the pen, but for a few months the dog was having difficulties - the grass was higher than she was! She had to bound like a rabbit, orienting herself by what she could see at the top of her leap. A sort of, "Where are the sheep? Where are the sheep? Where are... oh, there they are!" (scuffle, scuffle scuffle in the long grass...) "Surprise!"
I had a pet lamb who used to come when called, after a while the sheep learned to follow the lamb.

Our two budgies are real characters, especially our young male. He was being very affectionate today, "kissy kissy". Normally he will try to nibble folds of skin he can reach, he got to my eyelid this morning (behind my glasses) and that hurt a bit - he didn't mean to hurt though. But when he was trying to nibble my lips, I found a tiny piece of bark he'd been chewing. He was trying to feed me! It's something budgies do to each other as part of bonding, I was very flattered.

Most of the time though, he tries to chew everything. husband has stuck a calendar page with a print of some trees onto the sliding mirror door of our wardrobe - he stuck it there so the light from a street lamp wouldn't reflect into his eyes at night. But our budgie thinks it's there to chew on. He can reach the picture by swinging from the curtain cord. So every morning when the budgie flies into our room, I have to move the mirror a few inches so he can't reach the picture. Then I caught the budgie swinging on the curtain cord, Tarzan-style, trying to use the weight at the end of the curtain cord to help him get some momentum up. Cheeky little crittur! I had to move the door even further away.

difficult child 1 saw me doing this and was laughing really hard. He then launched into a description of the old eagle at the zoo - difficult child 1 was feeding the eagle one day, pieces of rabbit. The eagle is elderly with a damaged wing so he doesn't like to have to go to too much trouble to get his food. None of the eagles at the zoo are hand-tame though, so the keepers have to throw the food in. Because this eagle is a non-flier, his cage is open to the sky. A few kookaburras were watching eagerly; the old eagle was a bit too slow and one piece of rabbit was neatly caught mid-aid by a swooping kookaburra. difficult child 1's description and mimicry of the eagle's reaction is priceless - it looked at the ground where the rabbit should have been, then back at the kookaburra. Then back at the ground again. back to the sky again. Glaring as only an eagle can.

Dogs - we had one dog that could let itself off the chain while chaining the clip to the bottom strand of a barbed wire fence. She could also climb a fence, could get herself out of any enclosure. She was a Houdini kleptomaniac. We had another (another corgi) who would mother any baby creature born on the farm. And the corgi who used to round up the sheep - she fostered the litter of another corgi who had her litter by Caesarean. She would let the other mother in with her and the pups, but no other canine creature at all. Both mothers cared for the pups (cleaning them, fussing over them) but only our dog could feed them.

We have a dog that goes to church. He sits under the altar most of the time, unless his owner insists he stay beside the family. Sometimes he will wander through the congregation for a pat here and a lick there, but he is very quiet and well-behaved. We have another congregation member who sees this as permission to bring HER dog, a very large and undisciplined poodle. Maybe in time the poodle will learn to behave in church...

Chooks. We had one totally nutcase hen that used to stand at the door of the chookhouse, close her eyes and launch herself into space, often crashing into the nearest tree. THe chookhouse door is a foot above the ground outside, there are steps. She didn't HAVE to fly at all, if she didn't want to. She was very stroppy, though. We couldn't do a thing with her, no rooster could treat her until a young male we were about to despatch chased her up a tree and trod her, seven feet up the tree!

We kept him and called him Rhett.

Marg

 

[Fran]

Donna, I thought of you the other night. Animal planet has a show called dogs 101. They pick 4 different breeds then list strengths and weaknesses. They showcased Boston's. It was pretty neat. Didn't know the details about them but they sound delightful. Very smart and easy to train and good with families.

I love the pet tricks. They give me a chuckle. I love the fresh killed bras being dropped at your feet.
My guys herd me to the refrig. They also will knock my arm off the desk when I'm on the computer when it's time for their meal or walk. HS will chase her tail if I'm not taking her out walking. She knows I hate that and will stop to attend to her if she chases her tail.
They aren't really playful as a breed so they don't really do tricks. Mostly they like to alert me to anything that crosses our yard or walks past the house.

 

[SRL]

The cats will attack strangers if the sense stress when they come in.

My cat just goes for the adults, whether they're stressed or not. Funny, when it became apparent that he was equipped with extra feisty genes we were concerned about the kids. Kids--even adult-sized teenagers--can come and go without a problem but an adult walks through the door and he's onto them.

He's a very large cat: black, long-haired, 19 pounds so I guess he can be pretty intimidating.