I never wanted a dog. I am too independent, like to travel. Dogs tie
you down. Then a close friend died and I ended up with 2 dogs.
One was Bella, beautiful border collie; gorgeous Igor was black and
almost a kelpie. They changed my life. Soon I would say sorry to them,
and please and thank you.
Both were very disciplined and always did as they were told. But in
addition, Bella had a mind of her own. She was a thinker and read
Shakespeare. Igor a street kid with comics. I talked to Bella. She
would listen, crinkle her forehead and digest what I had said. She
remembered everything.
We lived in the mountains and had long walks. One ended at a little
escarpment, maybe 4 meters up and steep. There were natural steps in
the rock and we managed the climb with some puffing. Then sit on top
and watch the sun disappear in the valley. Go home again.
Soon Bella knew the routine. Climbing up only meant to climb down
again. No sense in it. So she didn't. I could talk to her kindly or
scream, she wouldn't budge. She just would gaze at the horizon and
keep sitting at the bottom of the rock wall. Later, when Igor and I
climbed down again Bella would follow us back with a happy grin.
Here I have to insert what I just read in New Scientist (30 June
2007): '...Experience projection has yet to be demonstrated in any of
the great apes other than humans...'
Dogs' intelligence level is regarded by science as lesser than that of
apes. But Bella was streets ahead.
One day the three of us visited a friend. One of the dams on his
property had a tall earthen wall around it, maybe 4 meters high and
steep to keep cattle out of this one. There were fish in it, the
owner's hobby. We climbed up to watch the brood - but not Bella.
Obviously, she saw the parallel to the nonsense back home. She
wouldn't have it.We dangled a bone from top of the wall to entice her.
But Bella said No.
Clearly, Bella used a past experience, projected it onto a present
situation, then made a logical decision.
Dogs amaze me. When I got these two, I didn't know anything about
dogs. Had a vague idea that they were different to gold fish. But I
didn't know that they were people who happened to bark - and think.
Greetings - Klaus and Rusty
www.rent-a-cloud.com
(Where everything is free)