Oh, gosh!  The war-dance term began on the FML, as did "speed bump" and
many another.  Can't recall who started them but you could check the
archives.  So MANY terms, products, and so on began here over the last 14
years and then spread outward.  Yet one more thing the FML gave us -- our
OWN terms!
 
The first time we saw the dance we thought there was something
neurologically wrong. <G>
 
Kris, it is very hard for anyone who doesn't know what sheltering is about
to understand many aspects.  First of all, many make products because that
way they can turn $5 into $15.  Second, you have to understand that the
costs are continuous and it is not unusual for a shelter to be paying off
an earlier expense at any time, be that for food, medicine, cages,
veterinary bills, or whatever.  In private life we have more control over
finances than a shelter can.  That's part of the stress factor to having
one, along with the losses suffered when people dump their dying ferrets,
the abuses seen, the huge work week which leaves them exhausted, the...
Note here that Steve and I do NOT have a shelter but we sure respect
people who do.  Nor do we breed.
 
Susie wrote:
>There was an article that appeared in the Orlando Sentinel last week that
>titled, "Animals may know more than we think" that I think you would find
>interesting.  It discusses that research has shown that animals are a lot
>smarter then most people realize.
 
Domestic animals adjust themselves to OUR needs and OUR peculiarities,
but too few people meet them half-way.  Not all of that is breeding, much
is learning and adapting.  To me this indicates that in that regard the
critters are often smarter than people.
 
Sharon, I got it!  Thanks so much!  Thank you, too, Bill, for helping her
with it!  How did you guess the canoe one is one of my personal favorites?
 
Our guys point and strain toward a goal and let us know which treat to
give.  Near the raisin canister means those and bumping the floor means
"Put them right HERE!  They know where the oil and tube treats are kept,
where the little "platters" are (lids from Nordic "Soup-r-Mugs" which are
GREAT for some meds and treats), how to "make cute" to beg, etc.  Meeteetse
used to hold my big toe in her mouth if she didn't feel well; we learned
that one.  They have alert ears, thinking-about-it ear postures, get out
of my face ear postures, and so on.  Also, then are usually good at
understanding human language if it is introduced slowly, easily and
repetitively, with some even understanding conditional statements and
dependent order.
[Posted in FML issue 3337]