Spur of the moment this evening, I invited my good friend and neighbor Tara over with her dogs. I thought a play date would do them all some good! Her dogs are Lucky and Lola, both goldens. My dog is Muffin, also a golden.
At first, Muffin was not sure that she was okay with other dogs on her property. She was barking up a storm! She kept nudging Lucky and Lola away while barking ferociously. But once we got a few tennis balls flying, she calmed down and was at least tolerant of the presence of her new playmates. By the time it was time for Lucky, Lola, and Tara to go home, Muffin was getting along with them pretty well!
It made me wonder what animals are thinking, or if they are capable of thought. Do they run mostly just on instinct and don’t process things? Muffin whines so much that I swear she’s trying to form human words. I’m waiting for the day that she jumps on my bed in the morning and says, “Time to get up, Amy! You have a big day ahead of you!” Do dogs communicate with each other through methods that aren’t audible to humans? Are they capable of more complex emotions like confusion or jealousy?
In the end, the answers to those questions don’t matter. Dogs, especially goldens, are there for giving unconditional love 24-7. Slobber and all! :)
