Smartest Dog $Cash Contest

Everyone who loves their dog would say “he’s the world’s smartest dog” or on the contrary, “he’s the dumbest dog in the world but we love him anyway…”

There’s truth in both viewpoints! You might say that some breeds are smarter than others but experienced dog breeders would point out that it all depends on what that purebred dog was bred for? Some people don’t even own a dog so there’s no way for them to know if the dog is really smart or just bred to do what the dog does so well.

Have you ever seen a dog “reason” or work out a solution to a problem? I once had a dog that loved to soak in the muck of the creek to cool down. One year a big tree branch had fallen over her favorite spot and blocked it. She sat there a moment looking at the problem and then proceeded in grabbing the branches and pulling backwards till she cleared the narrow path and her “soak spot.”

Then she contentedly plopped herself down in the creek mud. She was happy, me not so much. I now had a long-coated drippy mud-covered dog that wanted back on the porch when she was through with her soak. It was also a good way to tell me without words that it’s time for a shave. Duh!

Our dogs are born smart enough to manipulate us “higher beings”. They can twist us around their wagging tail! They can talk us out of the last bite of food on our plate, they can stare at us and then at the door telling us “Hey, I gotta go out” without saying a word.

They can give us a look of adoration or sadness because we are leaving them for the day to go to work. I had a Chihuahua, I swear her eyes would tear up and she’d turn her head away when I would speak to her to tell her “bye”. It was like I was breaking her heart.

Dogs can also give a look of gilt when they know they’ve done something wrong. Just look at the eyes of this German Shorthair Pointer with what looks like just-a-wing! I’m pretty sure they are supposed to point, go get it and give the whole bird back. And oh boy, what about if they had an accident in the floor? We’ve all seen the videos of ripped and shredded toilet paper and the look the dogs give when they are caught.

But what about the dogs that lift a paw to point to another dog as if to say he did it? Is it coincidence or are they really being a tattletale?

Do we put our own human thoughts and feelings on our dogs, see something that’s not there? Or do they give us real expressions and tell us their thoughts? Are they that smart and mostly we are too stupid to understand?

Dogs are the only animal I know that could be beaten every day and still lick the hand of its abuser. They are full of forgiveness, happiness and yes, they are shameless as well. The purebred dog is born with the knowledge of all his ancestors before him on how to herd, point, hunt, birth and raise their young and so much more.

We mere humans need to be taught everything! I’m not sure we have many animal instincts left at all… Could we learn from our dogs? Do you have a smart dog that has done something human-like (an oxymoron)?

Tell us us about your Smart Dog and SEND A PHOTO of your smart dog even if he's sleeping or getting in the garbage.

Email your photo to Design@TheDogPlace.org to enter the "Smartest Dog Contest”

Winner receives $100 for 1st Place and Runner Up gets $50. Be sure to include your phone number and email so we can contact you. Winners will be announced in HEADlines and on TheDogPress Facebook page with full credits for submission.

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