Animals do not "anticipate"

"Many times, a human *anticipates* something without
even being told. That's because the human has an
understanding of the passage of time and the repetition
of intermediate events.

Dogs and other animals ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HAVE this kind
of understanding, and THEREFORE do not "anticipate"
anything. If the dog's owner tells the dog "I'm going

Mixu Lauronen...

This is arguable. Experiences with gorillas and chimpanzees who had been
taught sign language have showed their capability of anticipating things.
They have talked about a wish to become a mother and about tomorrow, even
about death. That seems pretty anticipatory to me.

Opinicus...

You obviously haven't lived with many animals.

to take you for a walk next Saturday", that is
MEANINGLESS to the dog - he does not anticipate going
for the walk. If the owner picks up the leash, as he
always does before taking the dog for a walk, the dog
may react to that *signal* and get excited. It is not
"anticipating" the walk; it is merely giving a
CONDITIONED RESPONSE to a signal.

Rocky...

Late-breaking news?

Michael A. Ball...

Do you agree with the OP? I disagree; as do others, but I'd like to hear your opinion,
please. For the record, I do realize there are conditioned responses.

montana wildhack...

I think "anticipation is nothing but a whole bunch of conditioned
responses" is true. I also think you are giving too much weight to the
idea of anticipation and what it means.

Rocky...

Probably. To tell you the truth, I'd never really thought about
it until Michael A. Ball disagreed with my agreement with the
original poster.

"the *appearance* of anticipation is nothing but a whole bunch of
conditioned responses" is true of animals, humans included. How animals
interpret and act upon conditioned responses may vary, but even people
have problems with anticipation.

Just think about how many men don't anticipate the reaction of a woman
when they answer a question like, "does this ____ make me look fat?"

Rocky...

I was traditionally trained.

Paula...

Choke collar corrections?

Rocky...

Nope. Negative punishment.

Rocky...

I mostly agree with the OP. Don't forget that conditioned
responses can be a reaction to a wide variety of very subtle
signals. For example, Friday heads to the door when I pour
water in the coffee maker in the morning.

Mary Beth...

My first dog Bubba, GSD (show, yeah talk about 'accidents', the lab jumped
the fence with my good pal, the breeder leashing her GSD, in her OWN yard,
but the lab was too big), and, obviously lab mix. :)

We used to go camping every Friday, (which is why I rememberd this one), and
every single Friday, I'd get home first from work, always about 10 minutes
later than usual from shopping on the way home.

The tent, (a HUGE old army one, 30 yr ago), the hatchet, the sleeping bags,
the Colemen
lanterns and all the rest was blocking the doorway....every Friday. We went
almost 9 out 12 months, so he was in a pattern. But he KNEW the time and day
were going to be getting ready. It used to be pretty hard sometimes pushing
the door inward to get home. I did have to climb in a window once!

We never tried to stop the behavior, as we found it so very funny. He'd do
it if we were sitting around on a Friday off work. Same time, he'd go and
open *heavy* sliding doors, (pulling them out of the roller ledge.) This is
how he got all the equipment out of the closet. I could barely move that
tent by myself.

We'd get to our campsites, and he'd be off, for wood, had so much fun being
a 'helper boy'. :)
Camping was in that boy's soul. :) Or I guess 'fetching wood' was in his
soul....hmmmm :)

MaryBeth & Rudy (who is doing GREAT on his mild meds, no signs of any more
cancer anywhere! :P )

Mark Shaw...

Maggie used to go a bit nuts whenever she saw anyone wearing a
hat inside the house. A bit of thought is all it takes, though:
a hat meant that she was going for a walk.

Watching Baron learn about stuff like this is amazing. He
knows that when I get my toy remote-control car out, he's going
to get to chase it around the house (and it'll chase him as
well). That's elementary. But what I find kind of spooky is
how he'll look back at me now and then during the session, quite
obviously aware that there's some sort of connection between the
car, me, and the transmitter I hold in my hands. I just don't
think he's quite winkled it out yet.

When I count my blessings, I count my dog twice.

diddy...

I disagree with the original poster. I think the OP is severely
underestimating their dog.

This difference is *elementary* to people who really
understand the issue" - Goobenicus

Dave...

No. It's a barely plausible theory that you are presenting
as a fact. When the dog sees the owner pick up the leash
and starts heading for the door, it is almost certain that
the dog is anticipating the walk. Why else would the dog
act in such a fashion to an event that would be totally
unremarkable to an animal who had no idea what would
happen next?

Rob...

Utter BS!!! I have a dog. He certainly *does* anticipate certain
events.

Leif Erikson...

This is all true.

dh...

Odd that you're the only one who agrees with yourself.