My brother used to have a dog called Theseus. He was half-collie, I think, and really smart. He recognized several words, including "stick." When he heard the word "stick," that meant to him that someone would take him outdoors to play with a stick and have fun, so he'd get really excited in that canine way. It was tempting to say "stick" to him just to watch him react, like Pavlov's dog drooling at the sound of the bell. (The word "walk" had a similar effect on him.)
I also recall that he liked being scratched behind his ears. And if you drew your finger along his muzzle, that would make him sleepy.
My sister-in-law's friend had a dog called Lola. Occasionally they'd be visiting at the same time as me. Lola would always respond to my presence in the same way: she'd bark angrily at me for a couple of minutes, then she'd settle down at start licking my arms all over. (I guess I taste good!)
Josh Billings wrote, "Money can buy a good dog, but it can't buy the wag in his tail!"
George Carlin wondered, "What do dogs do on their day off? They can't lie around, that's their job!"
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