Canine deception

This is a new one to me. I am accustomed to Boxer dogs who are exceptionally bright and very adaptive to their environments and to their humans. They are also pretty willful. They know what they want, they know what you want and they frequently figure out how to achieve their goals while appearing to serve yours. Appearing to serve, but not necessarily actually serving. It is part of their charm.

Our current dog, however, is a rescue; substantially an English Pointer perhaps. She is one of the most joyful dogs we have ever had and she wants to please. We'll get another Boxer but Daisy is a sweetheart.

However, she has never shown the crafty intelligence of a Boxer.

Until a few days ago. My son took her on an eight mile run which she enjoyed but when they returned, she was indeed "run ragged." Slept most the rest of the day. In all other ways she was fine except that she was exhausted.

The next day my son approached her with body language that led her to think he might be going out for another run. She immediately raised her right forepaw and limped towards him. She was trying to get out of another run by pretending to be injured. As soon as it became apparent that he was not headed out for a run, she returned to her normal quadrupedal locomotion.

In the subsequent three or four days she has repeated the deception. If she thinks there is a prospect of an exhausting run, up goes the front right forepaw and she limps around until the danger appears to have passed.

Startling and amusing.