# Knot on Dog's Head



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I've never heard of a term like "ottage knot." It's technically an occipital protuberance. You might also hear it called sagittal crest or occipital crest. You might hear them called "smart knots" sometimes, but no person I've ever met seriously thought it had anything to do with behavior or intelligence.

I'm going to pull my punches when it comes to talking down about the guy, but his theory sounds like phrenology, a junk science that's been discredited for over a century.


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

My mom calls it a smart bump. All the goldens she has met that have the bump (I think it's called a still, could be wrong) are smart dogs. 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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## Gold-Rush (Mar 21, 2012)

tippykayak said:


> I've never heard of a term like "ottage knot." It's technically an occipital protuberance. You might also hear it called sagittal crest or occipital crest. You might hear them called "smart knots" sometimes, but no person I've ever met seriously thought it had anything to do with behavior or intelligence.
> 
> I'm going to pull my punches when it comes to talking down about the guy, but his theory sounds like phrenology, a junk science that's been discredited for over a century.


"Ottage knot" was my attempt to replicate his pronunciation of it so I have no idea if that's what it is supposed to be called or not. 

I was almost positive it was just a bony feature like you mentioned, and the notion of it affecting blood flow in a negative way, and in turn behavior, threw me way off. If we were able to predict behavior based on anatomy, we'd all have a much easier time.

I don't really want to talk about him either because he seemed like a nice guy, it was just kind of odd (and maybe upsetting?) to be told my puppy's behavior would be more stubborn because of the crest.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

We call Wyatt's his knowledge knott .


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Gold-Rush said:


> I don't really want to talk about him either because he seemed like a nice guy, it was just kind of odd (and maybe upsetting?) to be told my puppy's behavior would be more stubborn because of the crest.


Well, we can leave out any choice comments about the guy himself, but the idea that the size of that bony ridge has something to do with the dog's stubbornness is extremely incorrect.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

We call it the "intelligence bump." It is common in Goldens. All of our 3 Goldens have had one.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Tucker*

My Tucker has one, too, and he is very smart!!


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## Gold-Rush (Mar 21, 2012)

tippykayak said:


> Well, we can leave out any choice comments about the guy himself, but the idea that the size of that bony ridge has something to do with the dog's stubbornness is extremely incorrect.


He isn't even stubborn at all, and I never mentioned that Rush was stubborn to him. That's another reason why the exchange was weird to me--I wasn't seeking any advice.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Gold-Rush said:


> I wasn't seeking any advice.


Get used to that! Everyone who's ever been within 10 feet of a dog will have unsolicited advise for you the rest of your dog's life!

My Sage has one too, we call it a knowledge bump.


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## Golden&Yorkie (Mar 11, 2012)

Skipper has one too. He's very smart.


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## Gold-Rush (Mar 21, 2012)

IowaGold said:


> Get used to that! Everyone who's ever been within 10 feet of a dog will have unsolicited advise for you the rest of your dog's life!
> 
> My Sage has one too, we call it a knowledge bump.


Isn't that the truth!? 

I've already been told way too many things to list here, and I always just tone it out. The reason I posted this was because of how odd it was--I didn't believe him because it just sounded off, and more like a myth than anything.


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## Pixies_big_sister (Apr 13, 2012)

other dog breeds have it too

And on horses it's called the poll(though I call it the knowledge bump)


I've never ever heard anything about it effecting the way they think/behave, I've met truly very stupid(but sweet) dogs with it as well as highly intelligent dogs

I say it's just part of their anatomy


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

IowaGold said:


> Get used to that! Everyone who's ever been within 10 feet of a dog will have unsolicited advise for you the rest of your dog's life!


And frequently the least-informed people offer advice the most freely.


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

Some kid also told me that the bigger the bump the smarter the dog and of course his dog was the smartest because she had the biggest bump on her head. LOL


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## Cody'sMom (Nov 7, 2010)

All I know is that Cody's is perfect for kissing!


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## Nath (May 12, 2011)

Funny. I think I made the same post a year ago. When they hit the 3-4 month range the bump on their head shows more, but they grow into it. My female looked like a cone head for a couple of months. It's normal.


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## Meggie'sMom (Dec 24, 2007)

Zack used to say it was Meggie's brain.


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## mlbdenver (Jun 26, 2012)

Whenever kids asked me why there was a bump on Howie's head, I told them that is how be broke out of his shell when he was hatched.

They just looked at me for a few seconds - stunned, then realized I was pulling their legs!


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Lucky had a huge knowledge knot and loved to have it rubbed. I used to rub it before every major exam for luck and it always worked. 

Buddy has a small one but he was stunted as a pup.


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## Henry's Mum (Nov 6, 2013)

When I was young we had a cross Border Collie/Spaniel and he had this bump too. We called it his bump of intelligence as he was such a clever boy. He wasn't stubborn he had a beautiful calm wise temperament. So don't worry - lots of dogs have this bump


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

The occupital crest is the bone where the muscles from the front of the neck/chest are attached after they come around the neck. I don't think it prominence has anything to do with blood flow. According to the Golden Standard states the occipital bones should not be prominent. However in a young dog it may be more prominent before he/she is completely muscled. 

There may be a connection between the idea that it relates to intelligence and the idea that field Goldens are smarter than Show Goldens since field style Goldens are more likely to have prominent occupits than show line dogs.


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