[pyrnet] Is this a sign of intelligence?

[Carol Brescher <carol@pyr.uniflex.net>]

Hi fellow pyrnet listers,

Now that it is quiet, I would like to ask a question of this group. My husband and I
have had Pyrs for over 30 years, and dogs all our lives. We currently have a 5year old
bitch who exhibits a phenomenal understanding of spatial relationships. She plays
"catch" in the house (a really odd Pyr behavior), and either hands the ball back
to you or rolls it back across the floor (hits it with her nose to direct it - I know,
this is really odd behavior for a Pyr). But what amazes me is that if the ball rolls
under a table or chair, if she can't get at it the way it went in, she goes around the
other side to see where it came out. When guests leave our house using the front
door, she will go from door to window to window to watch them get in their car
and head out the driveway. These doors and windows are not in order and in
separate parts of the house. The reverse occurs when visitors arrive. Also if she spots
something from our yard, she will sometimes run in the opposite direction from
the object (usually an animal of interest - a wild turkey or deer) up onto the deck
to get a better view. One side of the fenced yard has shrubbery, and this prevents
her from seeing everything.

Has anyone else had a Pyr that exhibits this type of behavior. And am I correct
to assume this is a sign of intelligence? Or something else?

I would like to hear your thoughts on this.

Regards,

Carol
www.naturaldogfood.com