Sometimes I hear people say, "dumb dog" or "who's a stupid dog, yes you are!" Each time I do I smirk. They really are smarter than we give them credit for. For one they have us fooled by wagging tails and a tongue hanging out like a smile. Even barking at their own shadow. Once in a while we find that there's more to dogs and myself found that out.

Tacoma is fairly dog-friendly which is why I moved to the city in it's northern area. Its a beautiful area if you haven't been with a lot of historical touches such as Point Defiance and downtown areas like the Theatre district. But there's a small cafe right off Highway 16 that has become my favorite haunt for three reasons; free wireless, its 24 hours open, and its dog friendly. My dog, Frodo, loves the place and he has become a regular. Sometimes if I am by myself I get asked where he is, how he's doing, and occasionally I hear people talk about his unique quirks. Late at night he's with me and lounges at my feet, lays on the couch, or is nuzzling his nose at someone for love. But one day he surprised me.

I think most of us forget that dogs can be problem solvers. Frodo's problem at the cafe on one day was that he wanted someone's drink. The stranger was merely sitting on the couch which happens to put them closer to Frodo's level and was holding her cup out in hand. Now the cup was empty and yet Frodo was sniffing at the black lid. Most likely smelling a grande mocha with nonfat milk and whip. The lady in question was fine with Frodo and looks at him with a strange expression. What happened next is something I wish I had a video camera for. I hear is the lady with the cup saying, "What? There's nothing in there." Then I heard a pop. Frodo had figured out if he bites at one end and pulls back the lid on the cup pops off. Surprised, along with the lady and others on the couch I saw my clever dog stick his nose into the empty cup and licks the remains of the espresso drink. It was a second of silence in that shock. I had never taught him to do that, nor ever had a cup close enough for him to get to and yet there he was. Nose in the cup. The second passed and laughter erupted and Frodo only got a few good licks of leftover coffee. The cup was thrown away and a story remembered. Let alone a trick to show off when I warn someone not to leave the cup at the dog's level. Frodo is smarter than he looks and luckily no one has lost a drink yet to him. I maybe bias, but I know Frodo is not a dumb dog, not by a long shot or espresso shot.