Is it my imagination or can these furkids fake us???

[kionini]

I know Nini pretends to play tag with me by tapping me and running away. Of course I'm game so I run after her and she leads me right to the "cookie station" (where she knows I keep the treats). She keeps doing this until she gets a treat. BUT...

Can they go as far as pretending to be sick????

Nicky does this reverse cough (the only way I can describe it) and as soon as I drop everything to go see what's wrong, he's okay, miraculously!

I suspect he does this when he wants attention. I was talking with a friend who was outside my parked car while I was inside in the passenger seat. Nicky and Nini were still strapped in with their leashes because hb and I stopped just for a few minutes while hb went to get a soda.

My little ones were making a fuzz because they wanted to say hi to my friend and so my friend pet them and pampered them for a bit. My friend and I went on chatting, but Nicky continued to whine wanting to come to the front with me and I said, "no, daddy will be right back and we go bye-bye."

Well, he threw a tantrum, rolling around and whimpering. Still I didn't let him out of his leash. So, he started to do that reverse coughing as if he couldn't get enough air, which freaked me out so bad I turned my back to my friend, left her with the word in her mouth and in a frenzy I released Nicky.

I was running different scenarios in my mind in that split second; he's choking, has asthma, a heart attack, he hurt himself badly. OMG how far is the hospital from here, should I wait for hb or leave him here and rush to the vet by myself with the furkids?

As soon as I released him, he jumped right in front, wiggly tail, happy and giving kisses to my friend. No coughing, no discomfort, no need for oxigen...what gives?

But I thought, no way! He can't PRETEND to be sick, I know they're very much like human children, but come on, this is way over the top

So, you can imagine how many times we've been to the vet and he has heard me say, "but doc. that cough again, what could it be, a cold? an infection..." The vet can't figure it out, but is starting to hint that my kids are a little spoiled. I'm thinking, okay, maybe it's my imagination, just wanted to be sure at the risk of the vets and staff thinking we're a bit nuts.

And then earlier today I'm getting ready to go out to the neighbor for 5 minutes, Nicky follows me all happy thinking he's going with me and I tell him mommy will be right back, he has to stay with daddy. And what da ya know? That reverse cough is back again I tell him "fine, lets get you leash and go walkie-walkie". The cough is gone again, tail all over the place and kisses galore

Am I losing it? Or can they fake being sick?

[yavenay]

I don't know about faking it but they do what works to get them attention. For Nicky it's acting sick which can be frustrating because what if he really is sick? It's like you wanna ignore it but scare to because he could really be sick. I had one friend who had a yorkie who threw tantrums everytime she showed attention to another dog. I mean it was like watching a child throw a tantram, rolling on the floor and barking it was hilarious. Eventually my friend learn to ignore it and the tantrums stop but it didn't stop the yorkie from finding other ways to try and get some attention.

I know when Brandi wants a treat, she does the whole fake pee thing. Not a drop anywhere on the ground. But she knows I am hip to it so now she has this new thing. I recently taught her how to sit so now when she wants a treat she goes over to where I keep the treats and sits. She hasn't figured out (or doesn't care) that she has to wait until mommy tells her to sit. They have such endearing qualities how could you not love em to pieces.

[Suze225]

Yorkies are very smart. I honestly wouldn't DOUBT that they can pull some of the stunts you described. LOL It really to me sounds like he is playing you.....just like a child!!

[xmasbaby75]

Well, a lot of people may disagree with me, but I know that my Shadow has this ability! He has LP, and every so often his little knee will pop out of place ... well, he does this little "limp" and lifts his leg to show us that it needs to be rubbed back in place. Well, it did not take very long for him to figure out that limping=attention. So, every so often, he will make a little whimper noise and raise his leg as if he's in pain .. of course, we rush over to him to check his knee, and most of the time, his knee is fine! We get to him and he just rolls all around - all happy, as if he's saying "Gotcha!"

[Presto]

HAHA i so agree Presto starts shivering anytime i am in the kitchen cooking :O I think its just so to get attention

[ChibiLuv]

Hes probably doing a "reverse sneeze". Kinda sounds like gagging, my little guy does it ever once in a while when hes really excited. It's not anything to be too concerned about but sometimes it can get worse so just keep an eye. Some times if you hold their nose and try and make them breathe through their mouth it makes it stop.

[kionini]

Originally Posted by yavenay

I don't know about faking it but they do what works to get them attention. For Nicky it's acting sick which can be frustrating because what if he really is sick? It's like you wanna ignore it but scare to because he could really be sick. I had one friend who had a yorkie who threw tantrums everytime she showed attention to another dog. I mean it was like watching a child throw a tantram, rolling on the floor and barking it was hilarious. Eventually my friend learn to ignore it and the tantrums stop but it didn't stop the yorkie from finding other ways to try and get some attention.

I know when Brandi wants a treat, she does the whole fake pee thing. Not a drop anywhere on the ground. But she knows I am hip to it so now she has this new thing. I recently taught her how to sit so now when she wants a treat she goes over to where I keep the treats and sits. She hasn't figured out (or doesn't care) that she has to wait until mommy tells her to sit. They have such endearing qualities how could you not love em to pieces.

Exactly, how do I know if he's really sick or not? I have to tend to it just in case to make sure he's okay. So he gets his way every time. My neighbor tells me to ignore it, but this one I can't. I've ignored the other tricks they play on me, but this particular one...has me beat

Yeah, they'll think of something else if something doesn't get them what they want. The fake pee worked on me for a while!!! I was afraid the training would go down hill if I didn't pretend I fell for it every time.

Love them to pieces, yep We can't help it, we don't stand a chance

[kionini]

Originally Posted by Suze225

Yorkies are very smart. I honestly wouldn't DOUBT that they can pull some of the stunts you described. LOL It really to me sounds like he is playing you.....just like a child!!

Those were my neighbor's exact words!

[kionini]

Originally Posted by xmasbaby75

Well, a lot of people may disagree with me, but I know that my Shadow has this ability! He has LP, and every so often his little knee will pop out of place ... well, he does this little "limp" and lifts his leg to show us that it needs to be rubbed back in place. Well, it did not take very long for him to figure out that limping=attention. So, every so often, he will make a little whimper noise and raise his leg as if he's in pain .. of course, we rush over to him to check his knee, and most of the time, his knee is fine! We get to him and he just rolls all around - all happy, as if he's saying "Gotcha!"

That's why I think it's fake, because as soon as they get what they want, BAM! The pain, whimper, droopy eyes, all---gone and they're back to playfulness, wiggly tail (a big give away, I think), like nothing happened

[kionini]

Originally Posted by Presto

HAHA i so agree Presto starts shivering anytime i am in the kitchen cooking :O I think its just so to get attention

Attention and some FOOD, I would think. They really want to taste what's smelling so good in the kitchen

[kionini]

Originally Posted by ChibiLuv

Hes probably doing a "reverse sneeze". Kinda sounds like gagging, my little guy does it ever once in a while when hes really excited. It's not anything to be too concerned about but sometimes it can get worse so just keep an eye. Some times if you hold their nose and try and make them breathe through their mouth it makes it stop.

I think I know which one you mean, my two do it too when excited, but this sound Nicky makes is different. It sounds controlled, he can stop it as soon as I give him what he wants. I'm suspecting it's fake, but I'm paying attention to be sure and I'm planning a few tests to verify

Since I thought it was real, recording it didn't cross my mind only going to the vet did. But I'm on to him...I'll be ready next time and if my suspicions proof right, he's in so much trouble I'm going to expose him, I'll show everybody and I'll kiss him for an hour straight hahahahahahaha
I don't mind him taking mommy for a ride, I mind him being sick.

[broken_dawn]

Max takes us all for a ride... sneaky little boy that he is!!

He was outside while I washed the floor, and all of a sudden we heard this whining, like he was in extreme agony. As soon as I picked him up, his crying stopped and he was all waggy tails and kisses!! Yes, I'd been had but I was so relieved that he was ok I just squeezed him and took him back inside.

Bet he'll try it again next time

[yorkietalkjilly]

All these stories are so cute and clever.

I think these guys learn very quickly what gets them what they want the quickest and they are not above employing any effective tactic to achieve their desires. They aren't hampered by a set of values or morals, know what they want and how to get it fast. Can they learn that a limp or other action brings them quick attention? I'm convinced they can and do, at least that is what I think after living with them since 1978.

My last Yorkie used to use reverse sneezing to get attention! That little mess had me going, rushing to pick her up, cuddle her, distract her with treats and such several times a day - and it was obviously irritating her throat, actually causing more RS. After a couple of days of this, I read about some small dogs remembering that the first few times they reverse sneezed that it brought them instant and gratifying results and that by the time it happeneds a third time with the same result, it could become a learned skill and that they could do it so much it could create a sore throat, causing more RS. I had heard that before and that is why I didn't just rush her to the vet and started reading my dog books and magazines.

That article said that of course not all RS's are contrived - that some are mechanical - but that the memory of how we react to the first few episodes of RS stays with them and can be used as a ploy to get attention at another time.

Kwowing how clever Jilly was, I tried ignoring the next RS episode as the article advised as best I could. At least I didn't rush to her and fawn over her, etc., just continued doing what I was doing while watching her out of the corner of my eye. She did it a while and then it slacked and stopped. By about the 3rd time of this different reaction by me, her RS sessions began to trail off until she only had the occasional mechanical RS from choking on water, piece of food, irritated throat. Somehow, she went from RS'ing alot - at least 2-5 times a day, to about 1-3 times a month! I directly tied her ability to largely control it to the lack of favorable response she got.

Our babies don't have voices and sometimes coming up to us for a needed bit of loving is somewhat rebuffed if we are in the middle of doing taxes or reading a contract, so another way of getting our attention back on them is to effect some type of behavior that arouses immediate concern. I think they are clever and uninhibited enough to use anything to manipulate us and why not - it works so often!!!

You've got to admit, it is so cute that they know to and don't mind resorting to doing these kinds of things just because they love us and want our attention. That's pretty flattering when you think about it.

[Rachael x]

Poppy has never faked being sick but she face pee's a lot.

[zekie's mom]

These little guys are so smart that nothing they do surprises me.