Don't you just love when a dog shows how smart he is?

One of our cocker spaniel Leaf's favorite games is to catch a kernel of popcorn midair when Linda throws it to him from the couch.

Picture this scene. Linda is sitting on the couch, relaxing, with her favorite snack, a bowl of popcorn on her lap. During the popping process in the kitchen, Leaf has kept vigil to scoop up any kernels that the electric popcorn popper might have flung into the air and onto the floor. But now, he waits for this fun combination of a treat and a game.

In the past it would always be a struggle for him to wait patiently for the popcorn toss. He'd put his nose on the coffee table, trying to inch toward the bowl. He'd jump up on the couch and attempt to bury his face in the bowl. If Linda left the room to answer the phone with the popcorn bowl tempting him on the coffee table, Leaf couldn't resist. He'd plunge his face into the bowl.

Last night, though, Linda forgot something upstairs and ran up to get it. Halfway to her destination she remembered the bowl of yummy popcorn on the table with Leaf waiting for his share. She thought, "I'm going to find him in the living room with his snout in the bowl."

When Leaf had done this misdeed in the past, Linda had told him in no uncertain terms that this was not acceptable behavior. She would put him in his crate for a few minutes to let him think about it. This would mean no more popcorn other than the kernels he had filched.

But this time was different. When Linda returned to the living room, Leaf lay sprawled out on the carpet with his legs straight out in the front and back of him. He looked at her expectantly. The bowl remained untouched.

Linda praised and congratulated him. She made a point of telling Allen what a good dog he had been. Then she sat down on the couch, bowl on her lap, and began their regular game.

Later, we talked about this incredible act of discipline on Leaf's part. He had actually weighed the consequences and decided that patience was wiser than instant gratification. By waiting and not touching the bowl, he would be able to stay in the living room and have both the treat and the game of catch.

He excels at snatching the kernels mid-air without letting them hit the floor. If he had plunged his face into the bowl while Linda was out of the room, he would have gotten some kernels but been deprived of the game and any more popcorn.

This seemed to be a high level of reasoning and strategy. We enjoyed observing him making choices based on past experience and choosing to do the right thing.

When have you seen an animal weigh the consequences of his or her actions?