weird

janet · Post by **janet** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 5:32 am

mornin all. i dont know about everyone else, but it has been pouring here for the last 2 days. we got 7 inches of rain. just ridiculous. so of course this means that i end up with soaking wet dogs.lol. the weirdest thing is when i go to dry luna off with a towel, she freaks out. she runs and tries to hide. she seems petriified. at first i thought it might be the color, but then i realized they really dont see in color. i tried different ones anyway. when i finally get to her, she cowers(sp) while i am dryin her. i feel so bad, that i have to stop and let her drip dry.

any clues? theories???

Dogdad · Post by **Dogdad** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 5:59 am

Could it be that she doesn't like the feeling of being restrained by the towel. Yoshi hates to get dried off too. That is the only thing I can figure out.

David

janet · Post by **janet** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:12 am

david, i dont know maybe. i was just curious as to where this fear came from. i guess they have fear of certain things, the same way we do.

TJordan · Post by **TJordan** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:24 am

That is weird, Butters doesn't mind being dried off so much, but he will only take it for so long.

I will be interested to hear what others say on this one, It is weird!!

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:35 am

Wow, that's interesting. Special loves it. It's like he's getting a good petting or scratching. But we also play tug of war and fetch with him with towels and he enjoys it alot, so when he sees me coming with one he wags his tail. Maybe you could try playing with her with one when it's not rainy and get her used to her seeing that it's nice and an emeny.

Special's pretty good about knwing when he's going to dryed off and when it's a game, but once in a while he does try to grab it and play when I try to dry him off.

bama · Post by **bama** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:24 am

Janet,

I read a dog publication a while back... that said dogs CAN see in color.
However, it is not the same color that humans see.
ie: the color red to humans is not necessarily red to dogs.
Humans can discern the difference in hundreds of colors,
but dogs can only discern the variation six colors.
Don't ask me how they came up with this?
Anyway, after reading the publication, I decided to experiment with all 7 dogs in my family.
I made six identical bones, (same fabric) however they were different (solid) colors.

With each dog, I tossed all 7 bones. Each dog took time in deciding which bone to return. Everytime, they returned the orange color.
To further experiment, I used fresh orange bones (so there was no doggie smell). Every single time, they each went for the orange bone.
I've experimented with this more on different toys.
They always gravitate to the orange toys, when given a choice.
I don't know why?

Nope, it ain't science, but, it was just fun to experiment!

So, now I make a point to try to have orange toys for them as much as I can.

**If they LIKE orange, I wonder if there is a color they don't like? Could it be an indiviual taste?
Maybe, you have discovered that with your towel?

Victory · Post by **Victory** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:34 am

bama wrote:Janet,

I read a dog publication a while back... that said dogs CAN see in color.
However, it is not the same color that humans see.
ie: the color red to humans is not necessarily red to dogs.
Humans can discern the difference in hundreds of colors,
but dogs can only discern the variation six colors.
Don't ask me how they came up with this?
Anyway, after reading the publication, I decided to experiment with all 7 dogs in my family.
I made six identical bones, (same fabric) however they were different (solid) colors.

With each dog, I tossed all 7 bones. Each dog took time in deciding which bone to return. Everytime, they returned the orange color.
To further experiment, I used fresh orange bones (so there was no doggie smell). Every single time, they each went for the orange bone.
I've experimented with this more on different toys.
They always gravitate to the orange toys, when given a choice.
I don't know why?
Nope, it ain't science, but, it was just fun to experiment!
So, now I make a point to try to have orange toys for them as much as I can.

**If they LIKE orange, I wonder if there is a color they don't like? Could it be an indiviual taste?
Maybe, you have discovered that with your towel?

This was figured out because all animal eyes have specialized cells in them, Rods and Cones. One type of cell allows for color differentation, the other for night vision. Humans, birds and monkeys are the only animals that see in full color, but all the others have some color preception.

I posted an article in the health section on canine eyes a while back.

Victory · Post by **Victory** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:37 am

janet wrote:mornin all. i dont know about everyone else, but it has been pouring here for the last 2 days. we got 7 inches of rain. just ridiculous. so of course this means that i end up with soaking wet dogs.lol. the weirdest thing is when i go to dry luna off with a towel, she freaks out. she runs and tries to hide. she seems petriified. at first i thought it might be the color, but then i realized they really dont see in color. i tried different ones anyway. when i finally get to her, she cowers(sp) while i am dryin her. i feel so bad, that i have to stop and let her drip dry.

any clues? theories???

Is the towel flapping or dragging when you approach her with it? Many dogs don't like that, Firesong doesn't like it. I put the towel on the floor like a rug and then lure her onto it and dry her from the bottom up, then she doesn't act so scared, after a bit she relaxs and I can move it to her back and she's okay with it. But I know she doesn't like flapping things; traps outside, plastic bags lose on the street, even some kinds of clothing on people that flap.

Layla · Post by **Layla** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:51 am

Both of mine love towels as they signify being able to get out of the bath I think! Very intesting about the colours though Bama.

Desi · Post by **Desi** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:19 pm

From the way one of our poodles respond to being dried off I think she doesn't realize it's me using a towel,she seems to think it's a big flat monster jumping on her and dominating her.She would never ever bite any of us,but she's more than willing to kill the towel (or a sock if you put your hand in it!)
The other poodles knows it's just me drying her off and she doesn't like it,but as long as I keep assuring her she's fine.
The Chows don't mind the drying off,and they know towels as the things you can sleep on or rip to bits when you feel like it.But walking up to them holding a towel up will send them running.Now I just toss the towel on the floor and bring the dogs to it.

Salandra · Post by **Salandra** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:33 pm

This is all interesting. Jazz was very small when I got her from the rescue shelter, and from day one when she got wet at the lake I'd wrap her in a towel to dry her off. I think she knows if she's been out in the rain she's going to get dried. She doesn't care at all when she sees a towel, and I hold it like I'd hold it for a child getting out of the tub, ends flapping. I can even cover her face with it, and let her run around with the towel on her back - its become a game. The only part she really doesn't like me drying is her tail, but she's got a thing with her tail being touched anyway so that doesn't surprise me.

Peanut absolutely hates being toweled off. Don't know why but probably because she's never had the experience except at bath time? Don't know what my son and/or ex did when she came in wet.

Janet I don't know, was Luna a rescue? If so, she may associate towels with something negative that happened to her? Jazzy will play fetch with anything but a stick, and shies away when I pick a stick up. And avoids my dad- he uses a cane and even when he doesn't have the cane she won't go to him.

AngelsMom · Post by **AngelsMom** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:53 pm

I have read that YELLOW is a warning color for most animals... Cows for example will not enter a barn that has a yellow flag sticking to the outside.

Maybe it is the color?

Angel hates being dried, too... with any towel. I thought it was just her! Guess not.

cheriekynb · Post by **cheriekynb** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:04 pm

Sid USED to be afraid of the towel, but, he loves the rain and LOVES playing in PUDDLES, so, I had to figure SOMETHING out! We started to make a game out of it. First, I used a wash rag, HE TRIED TO EAT IT. Then, a hand towel, I would toss the hand towel on his head, he would pull it off, I would pick it up and rub him all over. Finally a bath towel. HA HA HA.. Now he likes it when I throw my blanket on him.

HE ABSOLUTELY HATES blow dryers of ANY kind!! Sid totally stresses out over the noise!

cheriekynb · Post by **cheriekynb** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:05 pm

AngelsMom wrote:I have read that YELLOW is a warning color for most animals... Cows for example will not enter a barn that has a yellow flag sticking to the outside.

REALLY??????? I didn't know that!! weird!

bama · Post by **bama** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:50 pm

Weird is right!

I grew up on a farm and I didn't know that??

AngelsMom · Post by **AngelsMom** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:57 pm

I read it in "Animals in Translatin" by Temple Grandin. She does all sorts of research on animals.... Great book. I recommend it.

janet · Post by **janet** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:56 pm

wow, thanks guys.
bama, interesting perspective on colors. my towels are beige or lavender, so i dont know how she interprets them.lol.perhaps ill try an orange one.
im gonna try and put one on the floor and get her used to it that way. i just hate seeing her so freaked out.

all of your responses are greatly appreciated. ill keep you posted.

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:03 pm

And even some monkeys don't see all colors (come are trichromatic and some are dichromatic), sometimes it's even a difference between the *Censored Word* within a species.

Sharons Chows · Post by **Sharons Chows** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:01 pm

JR was always fine with towels and being dried off.

When we got Cheyenne came home...she freaked when she saw a towel...we thought that maybe she was beaten with one since she seemed abused. It took a long time of her airdrying but now she lets Mom dry her with a towel
Sharon

redangie24 · Post by **redangie24** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:05 pm

I think it is just a preferance. Ivana could care less about a towel or the blowdrier. Ziyear tries to attack a dryer and used to cower at a towel. However, the more we use it the better he gets. I did put a towel on his bed and he tore it up and that seemed to help. Just needed to know he is the boss. I do try to never open it where he can see it. Just keep it folded until it is over his back then open it. That also seems to help a little.

Sojourner11 · Post by **Sojourner11** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:11 pm

Marshall HATED to get dried off after being out in the rain, however after a bath he loved it.....I never figured out why.

ChowChow.org

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