sweet! our orange maine coon cat (Dina) has been running into the Christmas tree full-tilt, causing it to shake, and then running away. Little fucker might be trying to bring it down.
On Dec 20, 8:40 am, wncs <[email protected]> wrote: > Actually I heard a story worse than beheading Mickey Mouse. Someone > else I know has a border collie and he apparently doesn't think much > of their Christmas decorations. He ate the head off the baby Jesus, > bit a camel, and ate Rudolph too! Bad dog! LOL! > > On Dec 20, 8:25 am, THE ANNOINTED ONE <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Do Dogs Keep Mental Shit Lists? > > > WOOF!!!!! Why yes we do. > > > On Dec 18, 2:35 pm, wncs <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Do Dogs Keep Mental Shit Lists? > > > > Of course!!! > > > During the summer and fall we had an old Mickey Mouse bubble container > > > on the back deck for the amusement of the dog and visiting kids. At > > > some point, it apparently fell off the railing and far down below into > > > the woods. I never saw it down below so it might have been under the > > > leaves. > > > Recently I let the dog out because I was cleaning the floors, and she > > > had to remain outside almost all day. She was rather insulted about > > > this arrangement, and kept trying to come in and was upset that I > > > wouldn't let her in. Finally I was ready to let her in and I opened > > > the front door, and there right on the porch in front of me was > > > Mickey's severed head. > > > You tell me that dog didn't know exactly what she was doing! > > > > On Dec 18, 3:23 pm, Cold Water <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Sent to you by CW via Google Reader: > > > > > via YOUR NEW REALITY by Darryl Mason on 12/18/08 > > > > > Do Dogs Keep Mental Shit Lists? > > > > > In yet another 'Did you have to actually do a study to know this?' > > > > study, researchers now believe that dogs can experience jealously, and > > > > even resentment : > > > > Do dogs feel envy? A provocative new study indicates that they do, > > > > making man's best friend the first species after humans and primates to > > > > appear to chafe at being treated unfairly. > > > > > Aside from offering the first scientific evidence supporting what many > > > > dog lovers take for granted, the finding adds to the growing body of > > > > literature suggesting that animals, including dogs, have much richer > > > > emotional lives and more sophisticated behavior than humans have > > > > traditionally believed. > > > > > "Traditionally?" I think they mean "religiously." > > > > > Before the new study, the only creatures other than humans for which > > > > there was evidence of anything similar to envy were monkeys and > > > > chimpanzees. When asked to return rocks to their keepers in exchange > > > > for a treat, for example, monkeys that got cucumbers essentially went > > > > on strike and started throwing the rocks and cucumbers at researchers > > > > if they saw other animals getting grapes instead. > > > > > Damn straight. They're lucky they didn't get handfuls of shit thrown at > > > > them. > > > > > "Every dog owner will tell you, 'Yes, of course my dog has this.' You > > > > see it a lot if you have two dogs. If you treat one differently, then > > > > the other one would get angry," she said. But demonstrating it in a > > > > careful study helps dispel lingering notions that dogs and other > > > > animals are capable of only the most basic emotions, she said. > > > > > "It's definitely very interesting, because it shows that dogs don't > > > > just have primitive feelings like 'I'm afraid' or 'I'm happy.' This is > > > > a more higher level, deeper and profound," she said. > > > > > What is a dog really thinking about its owner if it gets a smack? I'm > > > > sorry, I'm really, really sorry? Or is the dog's reaction more like, > > > > 'Oh yeah, I'm gonna get you buddy. Yeah, I'll wag my tail soon and > > > > slobber all over you, but I won't forget this. No way. Just when you > > > > need them the most, those good shoes in the cupboard are going to get a > > > > little deposit from me. Oh yeah, Mr Slappy Hands, just you wait.' > > > > > "As time goes on, we're collecting an astounding amount of information > > > > about the social skills that animals have for negotiating their social > > > > world," said Marc Bekoff of the University of Colorado, author of the > > > > forthcoming book "Wild Justice," about animal morality. Bekoff noted, > > > > for example, that mice have shown signs of empathy for other mice in > > > > danger, that elephants will go out of their way to care for other > > > > injured elephants, and that coyotes will ostracize other coyotes who > > > > play unfairly. > > > > "From an evolutionary point of view, there's very little that we have > > > > that other animals don't have. Do I think that dogs can be envious and > > > > show resentment and jealousy? Of course I think they can," Bekoff said. > > > > > The sense of envy probably evolved to help the animals cooperate and > > > > probably exists in other animals for which cooperation is important, > > > > such as wolves and perhaps dolphins, Range said. Understanding how > > > > animals cooperate provides insights into how cooperation evolved, she > > > > and others said. > > > > > Animals can feel and experience and presumably remember the sting of > > > > jealously, perhaps even get caught up in chilling thrill of envy. But > > > > can they plot revenge? > > > > > The whole story makes for a fascinating Sunday afternoon read. > > > > > It may also make you wonder about those occasional stories where > > > > animals kill children, like the one where a family cat suffocated a > > > > baby. What if the cat was insanely jealous at the new arrival getting > > > > all the attention, and knew exactly what it was doing? > > > > > The moral politics of dogs will be confusing enough, but are we ready > > > > to comprehend the mostly remorseless, unemphatic moral politics of cats? > > > > >http://yournewreality.blogspot.com/2008/12/do-dogs-keep-mental-shit-l...quoted > > > > text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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