I spent part of the evening at my brother's house for his birthday.
He's got a black lab named Jake, who's been with him since my brother found him shot and dying in a field 10 years ago.
My brother's wife just had to put her dog, Socks, down after a short illness. She'd had her for 13 years.
Jake and Socks have been pals for 9 years, living together, playing together sharing everything.
Jake is in mourning. He no longer wants to run and play, he won't lay next to Socks' bed anymore, he doesn't alert and bark when someone is in the yard or at the door.
Jake is grieving the loss of his best friend.
I'm always amazed, yet not surprised, that animals feel so profoundly.
I have three dogs...A Dalmation, a Black Lab, and a Chow...I love them as if they were my own children...
Dogs are fantastic animals...they are unconditinally loyal, they are very smart, they are very emotional. I treat them with love and respect at all times...if I only had enough money to buy food for either them or me...I would go hungry.
Thanks for posting the pic...and God bless that fireman.
Stupid animals? Hardly. We might know things that they don't know, but they definitely know things that we don't know - things that take intelligence that we don't have.
I recently adopted a couple of dogs. Badger, the male, is always on the job, protecting. Wherever I am, he is between me and the door. If there are two doors, he is positioned equidistant from both.
I've been off from work this summer, and I've been home a lot. It has really given me the opportunity to see how smart these dogs are. One thing I've noticed is that if they are not playing, many times they may LOOK like they're sleeping, but they are LISTENING to EVERYTHING.
The other day, I was in the master bedroom bathroom cleaning it. I noticed Badger was in the bedroom where he could see me and and see the bedroom door at the same time. After a while, he put his head down & closed his eyes. I came out of the bathroom & sort of kidded Badger & said, "Fine watch dog you are, sleeping away here; there is no way you could possibly know if someone was breaking in somewhere else in the house."
You can tell if someone is sleeping or if they just have their eyes closed when they open them up. When I said that, Badger opened his eyes, and at the same time, Daisy, the other dog, opened hers. Neither was asleep. Daisy was in the living room where she could see both the front and the back entrances to the house. Badger was where he could see me and the entrance to where I was AND Daisy. Between the two of them, they had the whole place covered.
How about an octopus? Coordinates eight totally flexible arms (no joints) at the same time, using them for balance, movement, AND communication with other octopi. Could you do that? I couldn't do that. You can't be stupid and do that. You have to be WAY intelligent to do that.
And when they are communicating, they change colors to signify the emotional component of the communication.
They experimented with them where they fed them and when they fed them, they turned on lights in the form of an "X." Then they stopped feeding them. The octopi came up to the glass where the experimentors were watching them and opened up their tentacles exposing their underparts upon which was showing the form of an "X." It wasn't as clear as the form of the "X" you're looking at on your computer screen, but it was undeniably an "X."
There is a brilliance there that we can't approach. But if we are wise, we'll respect animals and the smart ones will work with us to build a working relationship that's, well, just really priceless.
Well, it's late. My dogs have been patient. I'm going to take them out for a walk. How much you want to bet they realize more of what's going on in the neighborhood on this walk than I do? But that's not the best part. It's not about them. And it's not about me. But consider the three of us. I could just be the alpha male and get them to do whatever, but instead I'll piggy back on their awareness of what's going on - they'll realize I'm doing that and be even more disposed to let me guide them.
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Shellon
Cool story, thanks!
I spent part of the evening at my brother's house for his birthday.
He's got a black lab named Jake, who's been with him since my brother found him shot and dying in a field 10 years ago.
My brother's wife just had to put her dog, Socks, down after a short illness. She'd had her for 13 years.
Jake and Socks have been pals for 9 years, living together, playing together sharing everything.
Jake is in mourning. He no longer wants to run and play, he won't lay next to Socks' bed anymore, he doesn't alert and bark when someone is in the yard or at the door.
Jake is grieving the loss of his best friend.
I'm always amazed, yet not surprised, that animals feel so profoundly.
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GrouchoMarxJr
I have three dogs...A Dalmation, a Black Lab, and a Chow...I love them as if they were my own children...
Dogs are fantastic animals...they are unconditinally loyal, they are very smart, they are very emotional. I treat them with love and respect at all times...if I only had enough money to buy food for either them or me...I would go hungry.
Thanks for posting the pic...and God bless that fireman.
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Tom
Great story!
Stupid animals? Hardly. We might know things that they don't know, but they definitely know things that we don't know - things that take intelligence that we don't have.
I recently adopted a couple of dogs. Badger, the male, is always on the job, protecting. Wherever I am, he is between me and the door. If there are two doors, he is positioned equidistant from both.
I've been off from work this summer, and I've been home a lot. It has really given me the opportunity to see how smart these dogs are. One thing I've noticed is that if they are not playing, many times they may LOOK like they're sleeping, but they are LISTENING to EVERYTHING.
The other day, I was in the master bedroom bathroom cleaning it. I noticed Badger was in the bedroom where he could see me and and see the bedroom door at the same time. After a while, he put his head down & closed his eyes. I came out of the bathroom & sort of kidded Badger & said, "Fine watch dog you are, sleeping away here; there is no way you could possibly know if someone was breaking in somewhere else in the house."
You can tell if someone is sleeping or if they just have their eyes closed when they open them up. When I said that, Badger opened his eyes, and at the same time, Daisy, the other dog, opened hers. Neither was asleep. Daisy was in the living room where she could see both the front and the back entrances to the house. Badger was where he could see me and the entrance to where I was AND Daisy. Between the two of them, they had the whole place covered.
How about an octopus? Coordinates eight totally flexible arms (no joints) at the same time, using them for balance, movement, AND communication with other octopi. Could you do that? I couldn't do that. You can't be stupid and do that. You have to be WAY intelligent to do that.
And when they are communicating, they change colors to signify the emotional component of the communication.
They experimented with them where they fed them and when they fed them, they turned on lights in the form of an "X." Then they stopped feeding them. The octopi came up to the glass where the experimentors were watching them and opened up their tentacles exposing their underparts upon which was showing the form of an "X." It wasn't as clear as the form of the "X" you're looking at on your computer screen, but it was undeniably an "X."
There is a brilliance there that we can't approach. But if we are wise, we'll respect animals and the smart ones will work with us to build a working relationship that's, well, just really priceless.
Well, it's late. My dogs have been patient. I'm going to take them out for a walk. How much you want to bet they realize more of what's going on in the neighborhood on this walk than I do? But that's not the best part. It's not about them. And it's not about me. But consider the three of us. I could just be the alpha male and get them to do whatever, but instead I'll piggy back on their awareness of what's going on - they'll realize I'm doing that and be even more disposed to let me guide them.
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Belle
Very touching, Linda! THanks for sharing it.
If you think a dog can't count, try picking up three dog treats and only giving him/her two of them.
:D-->
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excathedra
what a picture and lovely story
my two dogs are unbelievable. if i start telling you about them now, i'll be late for work
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