Dogs — are they Heelers or Healers?
It never fails to surprise me that some people continue to believe that animals don’t feel emotions like we do, lack their own skill set, and are merely objects for us to use, eat, cage, wear or bet on.
Having recently been laid low by influenza, I witnessed a new side of my 18-month-old Bordoodle, who morphed into Maisie R.N. During the week, she stayed with me constantly, studied me when I coughed, pawed my arm more gently than usual (she’s a bit of a plonker) and adopted a stoic gaze.
She led me to reflect on dogs and their innate abilities, which we often take for granted. Some years ago, my Darcy, a cattle dog, saved my life. I was lying on a recliner outside under a gum tree (I’ve written about this earlier) when Darcy ran towards me, and implored me to get up. I did so because her behavior was so out of character. Once I stood and took a couple of steps, a large, heavy branch slipped off the tree silently, and landed on the recliner, which shattered.
That made me look at dogs very differently. Recently, I read where one near-victim of Ted Bundy heard her normally friendly dog growl at him. Fortunately, this woman took note and made her escape.
Dogs can sense who we are and of what we are capable. They can sense who is dangerous when sometimes we can’t. One friend visits me regularly and I have to…
