# How common is it for dogs to arrange their toys?



## noisebug (Nov 22, 2008)

I am making this post because of a video Curbside Prophet had posted in another thread. 

The video is this:





I also ask because Max has surprised me today. 

Well, he is 9 weeks now. But very smart. I heard Beagles were very hard to train, but I find Max to be very easy. He knows how to sit, stay, find a toy, keep "off" and come here - though the last one still needs work.

Also, if he had it his way, he would never pee or poop inside. He always wants to go out. Its only in emergencies where he finds it neccessary to use the pads.

Ok, no big deal. He started pooping outside... but he only poops on the outskirts of my yard, by the fence. He also keeps his poops fairly equally apart. Like, if he poops close to the deck, his next poop will be a bit further away, but in line with the first poop. The 3rd poop will be inline with with the other 2, but equal distance. Now, this isn't always so, so I'm sure im imagining things.

But today, I watched prophets video. An hour later, I went downstairs to get ready for a visit to a friends house. Me and Danielle were making some quick snacks. 

We have hardwood, and because of this got a square carpet for Max to play on so he does not slide around. His kennel is there with some toys and his pee pads.

I walked out of the kitchen, and noticed something odd. 

His 6 toys were arranged in a line with equal space to one another. The 2 rope toys, and 1 bully stick were parallel to each other. His blue rubber star thingy was next, than his kong ... which was placed sitting vertically like a snowman (the big opening on the bottom, and smallest part on the top). At the end, was his water bowl. Again, everything was equally apart, in a straight line. The blue star and kong were aligned to the middle of the bullystick and rope toys.

This sort of freaked me out. I thought Danielle was playing a joke on me, but she didn't watch the video. I asked her if she arranged these, but she didn't. I'm still thinking she may be playing a joke on me... but I'm not sure. She was sort of puzzled, as in, "WTF" are you talking about?

I'm thinking this is just a big coincidence and am imagining things and this is probably normal, anyone else experience this with their dog? Is this common? 

To be honest this freaked me out a little. But this is the first time this happened, so... yea.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

...sounds like you may have a doggie genius on your hands.


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## butiflfeet (Dec 4, 2008)

That is freaky! Our beagle pup is 17 weeks old now and I have to say I've been impressed by how quickly he catches on to and learns new things. My only experience with puppies has been with labs so it's been pretty different with our beagle (he's still so small too!)

I agree, it sounds like you have a genius. You'll just have to wait and see if it happens again...


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

If you throw three items in the air at random, they will land, an overwhelming majority of the time, in a triangle pattern. In fact, if three items aren't arranged in a straight line, they will ALWAYS form a triangle.


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

Lloyd likes to organize things. During the first few weeks we had him, I had come home and decided to take a nap before walking him. I awoke to find all of the socks that he could get to in 2, the toe parts in one pile and the heel parts in another pile. Then, he had put all of his newer tennis balls in one of the piles and his older ones in another pile.

He regularly will put 4 toys onto each dog bed. 1 antler, 1 rubber toy, 1 soft toy and then 1 other toy (he usually gives himself his favorite tug toy and Allie a rope toy or something). He will also pick up the rest of the toys and put them in the toy bin.

If we move things, he puts them back if he can. Like we decided to move the cats little cardboard scratcher into the sitting area, out of the bedroom. He kept moving it back into the bedroom. He didn't stop until I actually caught him moving it and told him "No, Leave it". 

If he doesn't put the toys away, he will put them into piles. One pile of bones/antlers, one pile of rubber toys, a pile of tug/rope toys, a pile of soft toys.

I've known of other people's dogs who organize things, but they have always been herding breeds/farm dogs.


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## flipgirl (Oct 5, 2007)

If you throw three, four, or a hundred things in the air, how likely is it for all of them to fall in two parallel lines? Or in categories by animal or colour or position? Not likely. 

I think dogs may just be smarter than we've previously thought? Hmmmm....my dog doesnt' seem to arrange her toys but likes to put them in a particular corner. Or maybe she just throws them there. But she sure knows how she wants the covers arranged on the bed. There can be no direct contact between her body and the pillow. The duvet must cover the pillow so that when she lies against it, she doesn't touch the pillow. But the pillow cannot be totally covered by the duvet. She will pull, dig, whatever to get them arranged the way she wants it. If for some reason, the covers are not cooperating with her, she will pull them all off the bed. If they're not right, then why have covers at all? If my books or magazines are where she sleeps, she will dig or kick them out of the way or shove them underneath me. I don't think that's the making of a genius but an anal-retentive dog. 

Are dogs proving us wrong in our thinking that they are simple thinkers?


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## Orange County Ca (Apr 6, 2007)

UFO's are always lined up and equal distance apart. I'd be afraid, very afraid.

Please call CIA Headquarters in Langly VA at 408-555-1387


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## noisebug (Nov 22, 2008)

Orange County Ca said:


> UFO's are always lined up and equal distance apart. I'd be afraid, very afraid.
> 
> Please call CIA Headquarters in Langly VA at 408-555-1387


Love the sarcasm, ty! 


Ok, so today I was at the computer. Max was playing in his bed, moving his bed around, a blanket, and his blue blanket around the room. He was getting frustrated for some reason. So I moved his bed to the edge of the room and brought out all his toys. I put them all in one big pile. 

He took the bear and put it in the hallway. He did this with the rest.

I don't know if there is any significance to this, or again, just a coincidence. I'm actually pretty sure it is just coincidence. They probably just happen to land in that way, but its still kinda cool. I did find it odd that once he completed this (i kept looking over my shoulder), he just sat there at my feet, lol.

Took a picture this time!


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

I'd be especially impressed if Max would pick up the toys at the end of the day and put them away. I've never had a dog, or child, that would do that.

My daughter's schnauzer will take a dozen stuffed toys from a basket on the floor.* One-at-a-time, he'll take them to the far end of the next (large) room and stack them in a pile. Then, a short time later, he will bring them back, one-at-a-time and present them to us.

I'm thinking in his former life he was probably military.

*Esther and Molly do not have access to that basket of toys. They would eat all the toys. Then they'd eat the basket.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

flipgirl said:


> If you throw three, four, or a hundred things in the air, how likely is it for all of them to fall in two parallel lines? Or in categories by animal or colour or position? Not likely.
> 
> I think dogs may just be smarter than we've previously thought? Hmmmm....my dog doesnt' seem to arrange her toys but likes to put them in a particular corner. Or maybe she just throws them there. But she sure knows how she wants the covers arranged on the bed. There can be no direct contact between her body and the pillow. The duvet must cover the pillow so that when she lies against it, she doesn't touch the pillow. But the pillow cannot be totally covered by the duvet. She will pull, dig, whatever to get them arranged the way she wants it. If for some reason, the covers are not cooperating with her, she will pull them all off the bed. If they're not right, then why have covers at all? If my books or magazines are where she sleeps, she will dig or kick them out of the way or shove them underneath me. I don't think that's the making of a genius but an anal-retentive dog.
> 
> Are dogs proving us wrong in our thinking that they are simple thinkers?


Ok, forget about the dogs I gotta know what is a Duvet. Our dog doesn't have a whole bunch of toys the 4 or 5 though all have to be up on the couch with her(she has own couch)if she brings her chew rope over for a tug or tennis ball whatever they usually end up on floor but then she moves them to couch at her convenience. 

EDIT
RonE I'm sorry you don't have a toy put away dog, she's not 100% I would say 7 out of 10 times. It's a lot stricter when a dog lives with a old school trainer.


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## noisebug (Nov 22, 2008)

wvasko said:


> Ok, forget about the dogs I gotta know what is a Duvet. Our dog doesn't have a whole bunch of toys the 4 or 5 though all have to be up on the couch with her(she has own couch)if she brings her chew rope over for a tug or tennis ball whatever they usually end up on floor but then she moves them to couch at her convenience.
> 
> EDIT
> RonE I'm sorry you don't have a toy put away dog, she's not 100% I would say 7 out of 10 times. It's a lot stricter when a dog lives with a old school trainer.


Like a Duvet cover, something you put over a pillow or blanket.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duvet


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## JustTess (Mar 19, 2008)

> I'd be especially impressed if Max would pick up the toys at the end of the day and put them away.


I watched a schnauzer mix once who would put her toys away . Though, she only had two dog toys that she put in her toy basket when told if she wasn't playing with them.

Ilya has been intrigued with stuffed animals lately. We gave him a new one to play with last week and he so happy as if Christmas arrived early LOL. It wasn't long before he started pulling the stuffing apart. This time, he made two piles though. He looked like he was sorting the stuffing to share with my son and himself-- here's yours, here's mine.


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