or do they just react

Rose will smell any damn thing on earth , sometimes I think she goes in too a trance.

she never says to herself,
Ew w w ! I don't want to smell THAT ! rabbit poo, it's gross !

or

Hey that dog looks friendly , I will just walk right up too it.

maybe only cats get the opinion gene.

Not only do they have opinions, they will share them with me from time to time...

“Hey! It’s time to EAT!”

“SQUIRREL! SQUIRREL! SQUIRREL!”
One of them in particular sneaks up on a corner of the house so she can see if they’re in the yard before charging out of the house.

My dog has an opinion on what should be done if I don't scratch him immediately whenever he asks.

My cat has clearly defined opinions:
Small birds: Tolerable.
Blue Jay: Zero tolerance.
Chipmunk: No interest.
Red Squirrel: Open hatred.
Spiders: Crunchy!

Every dog I ever owned (or was owned by, depending on your point of view...) had very firm opinions on a number of things.

When to eat was a biggie. Whether or not birds were allowed to land on THEIR grass. What was and was not appropriate for barking at.

But seriously their most obvious, and to me valuable, opinion was about people. If the dog didn't approve of someone, I was extra cautious in my dealings with them and was proven right way more often than I was misinformed.

Mine is firmly of the opinion that anything should at least be tasted.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:...
But seriously their most obvious, and to me valuable, opinion was about people. If the dog didn't approve of someone, I was extra cautious in my dealings with them and was proven right way more often than I was misinformed.

Nailed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
But seriously their most obvious, and to me valuable, opinion was about people. If the dog didn't approve of someone, I was extra cautious in my dealings with them and was proven right way more often than I was misinformed.

Yes! One of ours definitely had an opinion of one of my son’s “friends” who came to our house to visit while we were keeping the grandson. The dog was right, it just took about 6 months for the rest of us to get the message.

Absolutely. My sons Aussie Shepherd has an opinion on everything that comes by. They're all trying to invade her herd.

quote:

Originally posted by jbcummings:

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
But seriously their most obvious, and to me valuable, opinion was about people. If the dog didn't approve of someone, I was extra cautious in my dealings with them and was proven right way more often than I was misinformed.

Yes! One of ours definitely had an opinion of one of my son’s “friends” who came to our house to visit while we were keeping the grandson. The dog was right, it just took about 6 months for the rest of us to get the message.

That is extremely interesting. I will remember that. Dogs definitely have something over us, on more than one level. Dogs are amazing creatures. Truly mans' best friend.

They can certainly sniff out a lie. Body language triggers.
Have one boy that just gives me a look if he doesn’t want to do something.. along the lines of “Really? You must be joking.” It’s kind of insulting, actually.

Our dog truly believes that she is an inside dog. My wife & I have spent 6-1/2 years trying to convince her she's an outside dog.
Our compromise has been that she spends her nights in the playroom//"mother-in-law" apartment that was the original garage. But she does sleep in a crate...

My dobies over 30+ years at times had more 'attitude' than 'opinion'.

Our dobie has the deep rooted opinion of "Pi$$ on it"

It's not so much his opinions that get him in trouble with me, its his attitude. Like right now as he refuses to take 'no' for an answer to some attention as I type, and as a response drives that big long nose of his in my side to let me know "Nope, that response simply won't do".

I don't have a dog but my cat sure knows how to communicate. Amazing really if you just pay attention to them.

Her opinion is that her farts improve the ambiance of the Suburban within which we drive to and fro. And that a nice one mile walk on the leash should be followed by another mile or two.

[

As mentioned, dogs do have opinions . And even in the sport of nosework, where companion dogs are trained to search for q tips with scent on it: birch, anise or clove, there are dogs who demonstrate which odor they prefer

https://bobbyowsinskiblog.com/...gs-music-preference/

My schnauzer has many opinions, she thinks that when she sits on my lap that if you aren’t petting her and scratching her neck, you will get a stare, then a twitch of her leg and if that still does not get a response a nose jab to the hand.
Also as soon as I am done eating dinner and clear the table she will sit at my feet until I ask her if she wants to play, if I sit down she will continue to stare at me sitting at my feet, if I don’t say the words “do you want to play” she will get out her pull toy snakey and hold it, if that still does not work she will growl and shake the snake.

Next she has the opinion that I am not aware of my surroundings when we are out for a walk she tells me there is another person in the area, could be walking towards us, mowing grass, closing a car door, but that I should really be alerted if they are walking another dog. During this time she also has the opinion that she gets the last word in.

She loves rabbits but hates squirrels.

She prefers cold water from the bathtub spout over what’s in her bowl.