Smart AnimalsPerceptivePooch
KATHERINELOW
Aseachyearpasses,mynine-
year-oldMaltese-shihtzu,
Dexter,becomesmoreperceptive
tomymoods,myactionsand
myenerg y.WhenI feelfragile,
Dexter’s movements are gentle,
by,butnoonecouldreplicatethe
delicateartofa motherbirdfeeding
heryoungviaa pointedbeak.Itwas
impossibletogentlyplacescraps
offoodintotheopenmouthsofthe
babybirdsanda daypassedwithout
anyfoodmakingitswayintothe
starvingbabies.
Whenmynephew’sfamilyhad
almostgivenuphope,thepapa
birdappeared.Hecheckedoutthe
nest,perhapsrealisingthathismate
and the mother of his babies was
missing,thenflewaway.Afewhours
passedandthepapabirdreturned
accompaniedbyanotherbird.
Shewentstraighttothenestand
fedthehungrybabieswithfood
shehadconcealedinherbeak.
Thenewfemalered-ventedbulbul
becametheirfostermother.She
continuedtoperformthedutiesof
a mother,protectingandfeeding
thefledglings,untilthechickshad
sufficientstrengthto crawl out and
gingerly fly away.hiseyesmoreaffectionateand
he’salwayscloseby.Whenthe
bouncereturnstomystep,he
knowshecanhavehis‘me’
timeandrumbleswithhis
smelly,brokentoys,taking
themforhappylapsupand
downthehallway,shakingthe
imaginarylifeoutofthem.
Heknowsthere’sroomto
benaughty,likebreakinginto
theneighbouringconstruction
siteandexecutingcrazy-eyed,
maddashesaroundthejoint,
knowingfullwellthathe’snot
supposedtobeinthere.
I neverknewI couldfeel
annoyedwhiledyingoflaughter
atthesametime.Healways
seemstoknowwhattodoand
whentodoit.Noamountof
gratitudewillequalthemagic
mylittlebuddy sprinkles into my
daily life.17