Emmett is a professional at the mega-guilt-inducing, how-can-you-ignore-me, head-on-the-lap trick.
Even though I work from home, I try to adhere to normal work hours. Mornings start with trips outside, breakfast, and walks. I’m at my desk bright and early, then when I finish for the day, we play, go outside, eat dinner, and so on. Last night, I decided to work a little later than usual, so I made them frozen Kongs to work on because I felt bad for staying at my computer so late.
And, yet, if I’m not actively paying attention to them, they’ve perfected a series of moves that are guaranteed to get my attention.
Emmett busts out his head-on-the-lap maneuver.
Cooper’s go-to move is to pick up a toy, prance over to me and stand there until I look at him. As soon as I do, he darts off a few feet, then glances over his shoulder… saying, “Come on, lady! Chase me! I dare you!”
Lucas’ favorite play is to swat at my leg. He crawls his big self under my desk and repeatedly hits my leg. The second I look under the desk, he wags his tail. “Hah! Gotcha, lady!”
The three of them… boy, do they get me every time.
What does your dog do to get your attention? And does it work?
Pamela | Something Wagging This Way Comes says
07•25•13 at 3:01 pmHoney does all three, which are very cute. But the one that makes my husband crazy is when she barks. That’s one she only rolls out if she’s hungry or wants us to go to bed.
You boys are good communicators. Very fitting for dogs that share a house with a writer. 🙂
Maggie says
07•26•13 at 9:21 amHow funny that she barks for bed! It’s amazing how well dogs do communicate with us. I just finished reading The Genius of Dogs, and I think his bottom line was that the actual “genius” of dogs is their ability to communicate with us… that is their evolutionary win, so to speak. It sounds fitting to me!
Jana Rade says
07•25•13 at 3:47 pmUseful tip for you guys: sticking your head under the “mouse hand/arm”. No way anybody can keep working that way. Can add nose push for better results.
Maggie says
07•26•13 at 9:21 amHA! Emmett is taking notes… 🙂
Jan K says
07•30•13 at 4:28 pmYup, our Sheba does that too. Makes it really hard to work.
Married with Dawgs says
07•25•13 at 3:53 pmMaggie sit as close as possible with her back facing the sofa (she knows this is the most polite way to ask for attention). And if attention is not doled out quickly enough, she shifts her bum slightly, just subtly enough to be like “hello? can you see how nicely I’m asking for love”.
All 3 of them jockey for attention position by squeezing themselves between me and the dog I’m petting. Sometimes it’s like they’re playing musical pets with all the jockeying that goes on.
Maggie says
07•26•13 at 9:22 amThat is so sweet! What an endearing way to request attention!
These guys do that, too. They push each other out of the way, wiggle in between, and shove each other to get the most attention. Lucas always ends up in the back, but the darling result of that is he stands there with his eyes closed because he’s getting wopped in the face by Emmett’s and Cooper’s tails!
Bren says
07•26•13 at 3:21 pmTitan will do this head in your lap thing too. Or he’ll sit in front of me facing straight ahead (opposite looking at me), turn his head around to face me, and give me these puppy dog eyes. 😉 Hard to resist that. If he really wants attention he’ll also bark as you may have seen in my previous video. If I still ignore him, he’ll start this nip play thing that I hate but it definitely gets my attention! 🙂
Maggie says
07•31•13 at 12:19 pmIt IS so hard to resist those puppy dog eyes! I think these guys have me “well trained” because they know what gets me every time, just like Titan!
Leslie says
07•26•13 at 6:08 pmBella has a whole litany of engagement routines. And if you’re paying attention you can figure out exactly what she wants by what she’s doing to get your attention. Stealing things = come play with me. Slipping under my desk = bum scritches. Bouncing around and trying to herd us = treats (usually chicken). And finally, barking = take me out, I need to poop.
I think the way she survived puppyhood on the streets was to do all these things in the most charming way possible so total strangers would give her what she wanted.
Your dogs are so cute. Emmett can come lay his head in my lap any time.
Maggie says
07•31•13 at 12:21 pmIt’s so amazing how well we can learn to read their cues… and they ours! It sounds like she figured out the best way to “train” humans while she was a street pup. Just goes to show how brilliant she is!
Erik N. says
07•28•13 at 2:38 pmBefore I did some Pavlovian training on her, Hershey would go after my bare feet with her cold, wet nose if she decided I’d been in bed too long and had neglected feeding her!
Maggie says
07•31•13 at 12:22 pmHa!! That sounds like an effective way to get her breakfast!
Jodi Chick (+ Kolchak & Felix too) says
07•29•13 at 1:06 amSince I shun working at a real desk, Kol’s favourite move is to lay down next to me and lay his head right over the keyboard totally screwing over whatever I’m working on. It’s a real skill, frankly.
Felix’s tactic is much more subtle – he prefers to sit across the room, gazing longingly with the occasional forlorn sigh. It’s a heart breaker.
Maggie says
07•31•13 at 12:22 pmSmart Kol! 🙂 As for Felix, those forlorn sighs get me every. single. time. I always tell Cooper he’s playing dirty when he does that!
Jan K says
07•30•13 at 4:29 pmI like Cooper’s technique best. how can you resist that cuteness? Sheba’s last ditch effort is also to push her way by me, get under the desk and swat my leg.
Maggie says
07•31•13 at 12:23 pmSo, so funny! They have us totally figured out, don’t they? 🙂
Airline approved dog carriers says
08•04•13 at 11:13 amI like to see some dogs that are doing something to get attention from you. Very sweet dog.