Friday, March 16, 2012

Dumb animals?

My Uncle Leo (is it OK to have a favorite uncle?) used to say, "There are dumb people, but there are NO dumb animals."  
Well, I've always considered cows to be not-so-bright.  That's in spite of the fact that every mother cow I've owned who had a baby in trouble came to the house to get me, bawling her head off.  
It's true.  They know that when the chips are down, I will help them.  
But you can't teach a cow tricks.  You can't ride most cows like you would a horse.  You can't get her to fetch a stick or roll over.  The most you can do with a cow is try to tame her down enough so that you can milk her without getting kicked.  And if you're lucky, maybe she'll let you pet her.
So Bonnie and her calf were gone for over a month, and both of them were happy to see their best friends again.  I have to tell you, the reunion was heartwarming.  I really did get a lump in my throat watching them.  
I decided to put Bonnie's calf, Max, in the stall tonight so I could get some milk out of Bonnie in the morning.  I opened the stall door and drove him in.  He remembered the routine after being away for about five weeks.  No problem.  
Later on I looked out and saw this:




Max is in prison, and his BFF is not going to leave.  The two grown cows (one of whom is Max's mom) went out to graze, but Jody is going to wait right there until her buddy is released.
Uncle Leo was right.  There are dumb people, but there are no dumb animals.  

7 comments:

  1. Sometime cows seem not so smart but then other times they seem really bright. I think they are some of the best mothers.

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  2. I see the cows show love with the calves all the time. They love and hurt just like humans do. And from the looks of things are best buds. It does make one stop and think.

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  3. Your animals must be a constant delight for you there. How precious they are! Your uncle was right!

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  4. Well, thanks to changes in our speech over the years, we have been using the phrase wrong for ages, anyway. "Dumb animals" was first coined meaning that they cannot speak for themselves. As in deaf and dumb. Another phrase we no longer use because it might hurt someone's feelings.

    There are some incredibly intelligent animals. But they are all dumb.

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  5. Animals have more sense than most folks give them credit for. Bet they were glad to be back home. Helen

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  6. That is so sweet!

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  7. That is so sweet!

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