Once a week we take our cocker spaniel, Leaf, to doggy day care. This allows him to socialize and get some exercise. This past Wednesday, we picked up Leaf and enjoyed hearing observations of him from the staff.

They noted that Leaf played in the large big-dog room with around twelve other dogs, all of whom were at least twice his size. (This is because he wears out the littler dogs since he's such a consummate player.) In the play room the wide-screen television stays on Animal Planet programs. None of the dogs were watching the TV that day, though. They all seemed focused on Leaf.

Two new employees watched the dogs from the window outside the main room. As Leaf pounded at the door to be let out into our arms, one of the men said that he had had a lot of fun seeing Leaf in action. While ours is always the smallest dog in the room, in many ways he has the biggest presence.

The man said that before Leaf entered the room the dogs were lying around, not really interested in playing or exploring. He said Leaf appeared to have an agenda and a method for achieving his goals. Although cockers aren't supposed to have the herding instinct, one at a time, Leaf herded the other dogs. He'd stand behind them and push with his nose and feet until they started running. Soon other dogs joined in until they all were running around the room, playing, and enjoying themselves.

The employee said that they were so amused by all this herding and watched to see what else our little guy would. They called him "the life of the party" and "the instigator," since he was the catalyst for getting the other dogs to fully participate.

At one point Leaf grabbed a tennis ball and dropped it in front of a large German shepherd who had stopped to rest. Leaf stared at the shepherd as the tennis ball sat on the floor in front of the tired dog. He was daring the dog to snatch the ball. Finally the dog took Leaf's bait, grabbed the ball, and rejoined the party.

We told the man that Leaf herds us, too. Laughing, the new doggy day care employee said that after watching Leaf that day, he believed it.

Have you seen dogs doing things that supposedly they aren't bred or don't have the instinct to do?