Playing possum

[Dover]

I just let my dog out in the yard for a potty break just as a young opossum was headed by the door. Naturally my dog took off after it and chased it about 20 feet and then stopped suddenly.

I thought maybe my dog had hurt the poor little possum as it wasn't moving. My dog stood over it for a minute smelling it and then completely lost interest and left to do his business.

Concerned, I went over to the possum and then it dawned on me he was playing dead.....and looked very convincing although his stomach was moving a little with his breath. I've never witnessed this before, or seen how well it works with predators. I can't believe my dog bought it! Ha!

Possums can be very fierce in their own right when aroused, but this one could have been played with for some time and not flinched.

[jdonaldball]

1. This is how the Democrats in Congress learned what to do....

[Dookus]

2. fasinating critters...

watched an interesting special on Discovery or Animal Planet recently about them. When they "play dead", they also emit a foul stench that smells like rotten meat - that makes most predators pass them by.

[Dover]

3. Wow........I wondered about that as I watched my dog walk away.

I was thinking there must be something to turn the predator off to an easy meal other than it's not quite Oscar-winning performance. Works like a charm!

[tcfrogs]

4. My female beagle did something somewhat similar

She caught a baby possum once. She wounded the possum, and then sat right next to it and played with it.

[Catshrink]

5. Sounds more like a cat than a dog!

My stupid cats love tormenting lizards they catch.

[tcfrogs]

6. Given my dog's personality

I don't think she was tormenting the possum. I think she wanted to play!

[jukes]

7. that's the 1 difference

between humans & the rest of the world's animals. your doggie had no concept of hurtfullness, was just being playful.

only humans hurt for pleasure, note some of the weak & ugly posts i this thread.