"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Tuesdays Show and Tail . . . .

The only way to overcome is to hang in. - Dan O' Brien



"Be bold. If you're going to make an error, make a doozey, and don't be afraid to hit the ball." ~ Billie Jean King


Please join Angela over at West Virginia Treasure . Every Tuesday she has everyone write in with a story - about animals - yours - or a visit to the zoo - or some interesting information on animals. Please join her today.

Dogs are allowed on public transport in all of Europe, but generally with their master. This is even more interesting.

Canine commuter ... wild dog waits on the platform!!

Stray dogs are commuting to and from a city centre on underground trains in search of food scraps.

The clever canines board the Tube each morning. After a hard day scavenging and begging on the streets, they hop back on the train and return to the suburbs where they spend the night.



Experts studying the dogs say they even work together to make sure they get off at the right stop after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train...

The dogs choose the quietest carriages at the front and back of the train. They have also developed tactics to hustle humans into giving them more food on the streets of Moscow .

Scientists believe the phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia's new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city centre to the suburbs. Dr. Andrei Poiarkov, of the Moscow Ecology and Evolution Institute, said: These complexes were used by homeless dogs as shelters, so the dogs had to move together with their houses.

Because the best scavenging for food is in the city centre, the dogs had to learn how to travel on the subway to get to the centre in the morning, then back home in the evening, just like people.



An experienced dog enjoying a nap on the underground.

Dr. Poiarkov told how the dogs like to play during their daily commute.

He said: They jump on the train seconds before the doors shut, risking their tails getting jammed. They do it for fun. And sometimes they fall asleep and get off at the wrong stop.

Dog tired ... mutt naps on tube seat in Moscow .

The dogs have learned to use traffic lights to cross the road safely, said Dr. Poiarkov. And they use cunning tactics to obtain tasty morsels of shawarma, a kebab-like snack popular in Moscow . They sneak up behind people eating shawarmas then bark loudly to shock them into dropping their food.

With children, the dogs play cute by putting their heads on youngsters' knees and staring pleadingly into their eyes to win sympathy and scraps. Dr. Poiarkov added: Dogs are surprisingly good psychologists.



The Moscow mutts are not the first animals to use public transport. In 2006 a Jack Russell in Dunnington, North Yorks , began taking the bus to his local pub in search of sausages. And two years ago, passengers in Wolverhampton were stunned when a cat called Macavity started catching the 331 bus to a fish and chips shop.

Kind of interesting - huh?

I think pets help people in the world -

The world today is upside down because there is so very little love in the home, and in family life. We have no time for each other. Everybody is in such a terrible rush, and so anxious and in the home begins the disruption of the peace of the world.- Mother Teresa

We are thankful for family and friends.

I also looked this up on Snopes and couldn't find it - but I think it's a good story.

Love,

Chatty

22 comments:

MadSnapper said...

great story! loved it! and great minds think alike, the first thing i thought is it true and will I find it on snopes. lovely story and beautiful pets on the trains.

Jennifer said...

Ohhhh this is so very sweet - i have friends that are hearing impaired and when they take their hearing aides out their German Shepherd Barron let's them know when the baby cries, the phone rings, if there would be a fire, etc. I can't tell you how much I miss my two dogs - I'm able to see them sometimes once a week and they lick my face off. You're a sweetheart - I'm tahnkful for you too! Jenn

Anonymous said...

I am going to read this to my dogs. They can't tell time, forget where their property lines end, and I KNOW they are much smarter than they let on.

Sr. Ann Marie said...

Sandie, just wanted to thank you for your comments and to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

Together We Save said...

Great story!! So sweet!!

betty said...

that is such a cute story, Sandie! And I think it has to be real because I know coyotes gang together to look for food, etc so I can't imagine why dogs wouldn't do the same!

thanks for sharing this!!

betty

Stella said...

I think this is probably true as my dogs know what time my husband is expected home. Even if I spell lake they get exicted and wait at the door. Think they are a lot smarter than we are. We serve their food, wash their bed, and even go for a walk when we don't want to.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Well, at this point I don't care whether it's true or not! Because I just love the picture and story!!! And I WANT it to be true!!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

I absolutely LOVE it! How cute are they riding the train no less!!! True or not, it's a keeper...:)JP

Mevely317 said...

Oh Sandie ... what a precious post! Makes me feel "glad all over" (remember the Dave Clark Five?)!

Please take good care of one another in the coming days ... and enjoy your sweet little Will.

You'll be missed!

Susan said...

Ohhhhh Sandie, that was so sweet. Imagine how smart those commuter train dogs are!Hope you had a super day. Thanks so much for visiting my blog and commenting all the time. Love it when you visit! Hugs, Susan

DaCraftyLady said...

Sandy, What a great story, I think dogs are super smart but this is really cleaver. So so very touching and shows you that they are true survivors. Happy Thanksgiving, Debb

Mollye said...

I'm just crakcing up at the Turkey Lamp. Priceless! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Love, Mollye

ClassyChassy said...

That was interesting, Chatty! I liked the tired dog pictures....cute!

Buttercup said...

Never saw dogs on the subway before, but loved the pictures. Not sure I'd like to be on the platform at night with wild dogs.

Angela said...

Oh my! That is incredible Sandie! What a great story! Those dogs are so smart aren't they! Who would have thought that a dog would learn to do that without an owner. Thanks for sharing such an interesting story!

Tuesdays' Show & Tail!
Angela

Dogmom Diva said...

What a great story, Sandie..and what cute dogs..they look pretty healthy so it must work for them..still sad they don't have homes but seems they manage ok..thanks for sharing!

Barb

Pat MacKenzie said...

I think sometimes we underestimate the intelligence of our animal companions.

Betty said...

That's a great story, but I wish some of those people would take the dogs and give them a home.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Ah, what a great story!

Granny Annie said...

There is nothing better than a good dog story. I love seeing those traveling dogs and believe I would enjoy traveling with them. Wouldn't they make the ride more interesting.

ocmist said...

Wonderful story and so very interesting. I've been reading Temple Grandin's books that have a lot of things on animal's intelligence. It is really fascinating! Love the pics of the baby in your sidebar, too!