Strange dog behaviour

[thugulike]

I have a large enclosed garden with dense shrubs. My previous dog, a Neapolitan Mastiff used to push his way through and had dug a hollow in the middle of the shrubbery. He used to disappear into it. My Mastiff now goes to the same place. He doesn't seem to do anything in there but stand and stare. Anyone hazard a guess as to why he does this?

[fredpuli47]

It's likely that the first mastiff dug himself a hollow to lie in, because the soil there was moist and cool, being under shrubs. My guess is that the second one hasn';t worked out why the hollow is there but knows that it still has the intriguing scent of the first, so it must have some significance to some dog..That's why he just stands there.Will the other dog come back? Did the other dig it to bury a bone, which he'll bring back ? We can but guess what he's thinking.

[thugulike]

Thanks Fred. The other dog died in 2007 and he was very keen on rodents so that may be why he dug the hollow. George never lies down but just goes in and stands. He's never dug or buried anything. He's had many bones but he just chews and plays with them. It's just weird. There other parts of the garden he can disappear into but he always goes to the same place. It's not a problem as he comes when called although it takes him longer to respond when he's in the hollow. I do wish they could talk.

[fredpuli47]

We all wish they could talk, thug. The pup here could tell me what he did with the last TV remote, which disappeared from the house (it's probably in some hollow in the garden!). Did your present dog know the previous one? I'm wondering how long the scent lasts, too, from when made to his first finding the place.Possibly a very long time if the place is sheltered from the elements, more so if the scent is strong from a dog 'marking' the area.Maybe he recognises the excavation as the work of a dog. He's waiting for the workman to clock on again !

It's nice story, and intriguing because,try as we might, we can't think as a dog !.

[thugulike]

No Fred he didn't know the previous dog who died almost 6 months before the pup arrived. Curious isn't it?
Sad about the remote. I've never had anything chewed by the mastiff not even when he was a pup. Sorry if that sounds a bit smug. LOL

[seekeerz]

Hi both of you - have you ever had the experience of a dog recognising another breed, for example - we lost our beautiful curly to cancer about 18 months after getting our first westie, she really mothered him when he was young and they had a great bond. Christmas 2008, while in Melbourne we visited the breeder fom whom we were buying another curly and when we arrived, Jmaie took one look at Maddy, the mother of the litter and made a bolt for her, stopping short not because of any reaction from her, but he realised it wasn't Poppy. btw, he adores our new 'baby' who is now 14 months [ and chews everything in sight !!] and this isn't the first time we've seen evidence of this recognition. cheers skz

[seekeerz]

sorry, that should read 'Jamie'

[fredpuli47]

seekerz,they'll recognise a breed with which they have happy associations, as in your example.They recognise their own breed too, which sounds obvious but is sometimes amusing in practice.A correspondent on a website here reported that their pugs ignored every dog on a TV programme about a dog show, but when the pugs came on they rushed up to the screen and covered the close ups of pugs with 'puggy kisses' !

[seekeerz]

thanks, fred - I love it, sometimes they almost don't need to talk, do they. cheers