Scratchy Feet

Emme has a way of saying "Let's play" "Let's nap" or "I need this toy." She does the "Scratchy Feet." She stands on the floor or a piece of furniture and scratches her feet on the rug or the cushion to make a noise. This means "I need something."

Emme knows that after lunch she and I will often go into the family room and nap. Emme loves to nap on the couch with me. I go get a quilt and a magazine or book and Emme dashes for Big Mama Gorilla. She can't jump on the couch with Big Mama Gorilla in her mouth so she waits until I spread out the quilt on the couch and then pick up Big Mama Gorilla and place it in Emme's favorite nap spot at the end of the couch.

If Ken and I are eating lunch in the kitchen and are taking too long in Emme's estimation, she will begin the process of setting up for a nap. She jumps up on the couch and pushes the throw pillows around. She relocates the pillows to other places on the couch or down on the floor. If that doesn't get me into the family room, then she stands on the couch, stares me in the eye and does Scratchy Feet. That almost always works to get my attention.

The dogs' toy box is between the living room couch and my chair. If Rudy wants something, he just goes to the box, roots around and grabs something with his mouth. Emme doesn't usually get something herself from the toy box. The sides of the box are only a few inches high and she can easily reach most of the things in the box but she wants help. Instead, she stands next to the box and does Scratchy Feet so I will look down at her. If the Scratchy Feet doesn't do it, she will add a whine for good measure. Then I pick up each toy until I have the one she wants in my hand and she takes it from me.

Where did she come up with this as a means of communication? I wonder if other dogs scratch their feet to say "I need."