Photo: The Watcher

©Patricks Place LLC

Like any proud pet owner, I take pictures of my dogs when I can. Every now and then, I’ll catch Zoey, the golden retriever mix that I adopted from a local shelter, peering out of the window, silently watching what’s going on outside.

She is a couch potato. Big time. She makes me seem like an Olympic athlete by comparison! When I walk her outside to allow her to take care of her business, she does so and then makes no bones about getting back inside to the air conditioning.

But still I wonder what she watches; I am curious about what she thinks. Does she fear that she will end up alone on the streets again, trying to find food and a warm place to sleep? Does she think some dark, evil thing is chasing after her? Does she wonder what happened to the two puppies she had with her when she was found, shivering and hungry? They’ve been adopted to their own families now, and she hasn’t seen them in two years. Would she recognize them now? When I see her like this, I’ll call her name and she’ll come to me, always happy to receive attention. I reassure her, and she settles herself and takes a nap.

Some people insist that animals don’t think. I know better.
