BRAIN SIZE

Humans have larger brains than dogs.  According to humans, that is:

• The brains of dogs are smaller than humans in relation to overall body size. In humans, the brain-to-body ratio is 1:40 while in dogs it’s 1:125.
• The brains of humans have more folds, which means more surface area. The cortex of dogs is smaller and has fewer folds. This means there is less surface area and fewer neurons. Without as many folds as the human brain, dogs have a lesser capacity for higher thinking.

The above per an article in FirstVet.com. Okay, fine.

Now listen to this.

Maybe a week ago, Beagle Man and Kemba went down to the beach, here in Amagansett.  I don’t know the particulars of the weather that day — I still don’t have an iPhone — but according to Kemba, it was at least 125 degrees, with about 175% humidity.  Freakin’ hot.  As usual, B-Man sat in his little sand chair, reading.  Oh, sure, occasionally he took a plunge in the ocean.  And occasionally he’d throw some tennis balls, or some sticks, into the waves for Kemba to retrieve.  And to his credit, he always remembered to open Kemba’s ice water pitcher and offer K-Dawg a drink.  But basically, he sat, and he read, and he baked.

Kemba is a good, loyal dog.  He will follow the B-Man and stay with him just about anywhere.  So he sat in the sand.  And he fetched balls in the ocean.  And he drank his ice water.  And he dug himself a little den, knowing that the sand beneath the surface is way cooler than the sand on top.  But finally, enough was enough.  It was obvious to Kemba that, in spite of the outrageous heat, B-Man was stubbornly going nowhere.

So . . . Kemba picked himself up, shook himself off, and slowly made his way to the dune, up over the crest, up the path, and to the house.  And the air conditioning.

And Beagle Man, the guy with all those so-called folds and all that so-called surface area in his cortex, stayed put.  And fried.

Now I don’t understand all the ins and outs about brain size.  But I ask you this.  Who was the smarter being that day?   Beagle Man, the human?  Or Kemba, the dog?  Makes you wonder if size really matters.

Beagle Man has let me write the last two posts in a row.  Hmm.  Not sure what’s up . . .