The Garrulous Jay – What Does DEV Stand For?

Publish date

03/10/21

Hello, me again! Not for the first time George has taken off and left me holding the fort, keeping everyone in line and writing this week’s Garrulous Jay. It’s a dog’s life!

At this time of year the world changes for us dogs as we gradually start to get a new perspective on things. As crops are harvested and the undergrowth in the woods starts to die back with the approach of autumn, our horizons are widened and we have more open space explore.

Around here in Haveringland we have the added excitement of young pheasants to chase, and in my imagination I have caught dozens of these stupid birds…whereas in reality I’ve not so much as plucked a tail feather from one. They seem more interested in running in front of cars, but I digress…

This all inspired me to ask you: “what does DEV stand for?” With all the carry-on I see you lot getting involved in around petrol stations at the moment, you might think the answer is Diesel Engine Vehicle, but you’d be wrong.

DEV is my little acronym for Dog’s Eye View. You see I hear the expression Bird’s Eye View quite a bit and gather this is thought of as a positive attribute. It implies you can “see the big picture” and “tell the wood for the trees”. All of this confers an ability not to get too bogged down in the detail.

But I happen to think a little bit of a DEV can also be a good thing. If you have five minutes to spare some time have go… Pop out into your garden, get down on all-fours and have a mosey around. It’s safer there than in the office if you have career progression to consider.

You’ll start to get a different perspective on life. You’ll see things from a new angle and gain a fresh understanding of them: the strength of a cobweb, the intricacy of a flower or the resilience of a tree trunk. You’ll spot things you didn’t even know were there. Plants, animals, fungi, all sorts: some edible, some not. You’ll also encounter new smells – not all of them pleasant I dare say – that may give you a fresh, or not so fresh, insight into what’s going on around you.

In summary, you will start to understand the world through the eyes of creatures who don’t share your own view. This may be humbling, it may be challenging, or it may even be inspiring. Whatever it is to you, I think it should serve as a simple reminder of the value of seeking out new ways of looking at things, and of the insight that sometimes comes from exploring the detail.

Once you’ve done this, go back into the house and eat your dinner off the floor. Only kidding!

Until the next time, Dudley.