My Siberian Husky died about 5 years ago and I still miss her terribly. So smart. She understood every thing and would laugh at jokes and would tell on cat. Amazing. She went everywhere with me and was my best friend.
However, the combined IQs of the crew we have now wouldn’t add up to her left paw. I suspect the newfie is smarter than he lets on but he’s just too lazy to turn on all brain cells at once. The laziness did save his manhood when the vet was insistant he be fixed but finally agreed the poor thing couldn’t be bothered getting that excited. He does understand pointing though and that humans have names.
Molly - Queen Bee Alpha Dog(weighs maybe 30 lbs. sleeps inside, GUN SHY! Idiot neighbor sighted in every large bore rifle he owned one day about 50 yds from kennel when pups were 5wks old. (There is a special place in hell for stupid people like him!) She'll hunt like a demon, beautiful points, but as soon as she sees a gun, runs for momma. She nursed my 2 beagle pups when we got them early due to death of mother beagle, but she's never had a litter. Bagged up and had milk! Vet said she was having a psuedo-pregnancy Freaky!)
Buckshot - Speaks English (Hunting?canwegonowcanwegonow?Bird?dadsaidbird!dadsaidbird!canwegonow?#1 bird dog)
Bandit - Loverboy (would be a lapdog if he didn't weigh 80 lbs. Good hunter, knows exactly what to do & expects lots of lovin when he retrieves bird, #2 bird dog)
Sammy - Monster Wuss Setter (weighs 97lbs. returned by buyer because they didn't expect him to get THAT big. Never hunted before return, and does very well, but tires easily. Baby of the bunch.)
All out of the same litter, and different as can be. 3 raised together, Sammy came back after 18 months. The people who bought him just didn't have enough room for a dog that size. I never expected he'd get that big either, but at least I have the facilities for a brute.