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Curious observation - object/word classes


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With the exception of the flying discs and the many different kinds and shapes of balls, I've been naming Meg's favorite toys since she was ours.

 

She will distinguish Dork and Jacks and Tiger and Maxie when she wants to, but will substitute one for the other if its less work. If she's tired she'll drop Dork and pick up Jacks. Or she'll pick up Dork to save her the trip downstairs to get Jacks. I usually raise an eyebrow when she does that and she goes off moping reluctantly in search of the right toy.

 

But when I say Meg find the ball, she has a huge class of objects in ther head that constitute 'ball' and sometimes they aren't even mine. (Balls she finds in the woods). When she can't find 'the ball' I've hidden, she'll go find another.

 

I haven't determined if she can do both with the same object yet. I imagine both identifications are useful in training and mental exercise. Any one ever read anything about this?

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Well, I would say that she IS doing what you ask her. You have never said "Dork" when you meant "Jacks" so she learned the difference. But the word "ball" has probly been used so generaly, that she understands it to be just that, any round thing she can find.

 

I don't have specific names for any toy of Jackson's except the frizbee. When we are in the house playing with any of his toys, when I get a chance to hide it, I will tell him to find it. He knows I mean the specific toy we were playing with and no other.

 

So, if you are playing with say, an orange ball, and you hide it, instead of saying, get the ball, simply tell her to "find it". You may have to refuse others she gets and even take her and show her the ball you hid, till she gets the idea that when you just say "find it" you mean what you were just playing with.

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We have the same problem with Keg....although "ball" does mean any one of about 20 balls.

 

Essentially, the issue might be one of excitement at playing a game with you....and concentration goes out the door.

 

This happens with Keg all the time....so we need to calm him/slow him down and/or remove the "wrong" balls until he brings us the "right" one.

 

These are identified as the "tennis", "yellow", "soccer" etc. balls....which is reinforced every time he brings us the respective ball/toy.

 

Jack, the BC, understands the distinctions/subtleties between objects when playing "touch the..."...but retrieving is beneath him - especially when he has a perfectly good labrador to do the job :rolleyes:

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