[Dailydrool] Red & white hounds

[Michele SZ via Dailydrool]

Someone mentioned that their experience with red & white hounds was that they were a little on the slow learner or not as smart as their other hounds.  I must report that has not been my experience. I have/had 3 red and whites (Ruger, Xander and Wolfgang ATB). My parents have a red & white named Morgan. All 3 very smart, manipulative, demanding little boy hounds that have/had their slaves trained very well. Wolfgang was my heart dog, and he had the pitiful hound look down to a fine art. He knew how to get anything he wanted just with "the look". Thank doG he was not a human child or he would have been given cash, the credit cards, keys to the BUV or anything else he wanted. He also knew how to show his displeasure about something. He would tear up the cover of a magazine or paper that was laying on the coffee table but never anything of any value. He just wanted to let you know he was not happy about something. Ruger and Xander both have me trained to. Ruger has trained me that he and Xander must get treats after I go out in the morning, leaving them, to go feed chickens, cows and kitties. I am still not sure how he pulled that one off? They both have thought me their own way of expressing that they need to go outside. Ruger sits in front of you and gives you the look. If that doesn't work he will bark at you. Xander will usually go sit by the door, or ring the bells on the door to go out, but he will howl at the top of his lungs if he needs to go out really bad, especially early in the morning when everyone is asleep. I guarantee that you jump right out of that bed and run down the hall to let him out. Ruger will let you know when it is supper time. Xander is the breakfast bell hound. When Ruger and Colt ATB were pups, he would sit back watching Colt to see if whatever he was doing if he would get in trouble for. If not then Ruger would join in. Sometimes I swear that Ruger put his brother up to some things to either get him in trouble or to see if it would get him in trouble. Morgan, my parents dog, sits in front of my parents and whines to go out to pee, yawns to go poop. If they ignore him he swipes their leg with a paw, digging claws in if he has to do it a second time. He also will bark, demanding a bite of whatever they are snacking on if it is something that he wants, or swipe that paw on their leg. If you give him a treat and it is not what he wants, he will toss it onto the floor, give you a disgusted look until you give him the treat that he wants. I could go on about how smart these 3 hounds are but those are the highlights. Just my opinion, but I think that every dog despite coloring has their own personality and level of intelligence. Just like people. All individuals. Hugs to all my drool family and belly rubs to all those smart hounds. But something to consider....for all of those not as smart hounds, is it that they truly are not as smart as others? Or, are they playing you like a Stradivarius violin? Hhhhmmm?
Michele Swartz, momma to Colt ATB, Ruger and Xander. wickedfoxybear at yahoo.com