More things I learn from animals

I know I have mentioned my animals before, and I will probably do so from time to time, as I find that I can learn much from them.

So, first, a little more about the critters. Dinah is our new cat we adopted last December when she was about 3 months old, which makes her now about 1 year old. She is very sweet and has bonded with everyone in the family, including Sheila our border collie mix. She is very cute and very active, enjoying pouncing on things, catching mice and lizards. She even likes to follow Sheila and me when we go for our evening walks. She hides under cars and in bushes and then jumps out when we're near and pounces on Sheila's tail!

Sheila is an 11-year old Border Collie mix that was a rescue too. She has a very mellow disposition, gentle and very well mannered. She only gets very excited when kids play in the pool, especially when they jump into the pool... She then runs around barking and nipping at them, as though she's trying to keep them from getting in. Perhaps she thinks they will drown? I wish she could tell me. She is a very smart, herding dog, and has her own mind.

Dinah, being a young cat, occasionally will take her pouncing on Sheila a bit too far, I mean a dog can only be sooo patient! The interesting part is that Sheila will snap at Dinah when she's had enough, but not in a hostile or mean way, just a quick little snap which lets Dinah know "hey, enough!" and neither of them takes it "personally".

They have a way of working their relationship without being mean or hostile. They apparently are able to communicate this to each other, even though they are different species! They set boundaries, communicate play time, or just "enjoy" each other as a companion in a quiet coexistance.


So, if two animals, from different species can do this, why can't we? Why is it so hard for us, humans, to express our boundaries with each other without one's feelings being hurt? Or not setting them for fear of rejection? It should be as simple for us as it is for Sheila and Dinah, and yet it isn't. So who's more advanced?