英國3歲小毛驢以為自己是狗 愛遛彎、愛抱抱、愛看網球

Meet Dougie, the three-year-old miniature donkey who thinks he's a dog.
來認識一下3歲的迷你驢道基，但它以為自己是只狗。

The pet lives with his owners Cal and Tom Stockbridge in Pickering, Yorkshire, where he has run of the house and goes for walks.
這頭寵物小毛驢和它的主人卡爾·斯托克布里奇（Cal Stockbridge）和湯姆·斯托克布里奇（Tom Stockbridge）住在約克郡（Yorkshire）的皮克林鎮（Pickering），在那兒它可以在屋里隨意跑動，也可以外出散步。

The animal loves company, is often found in writer Tom's office while he works - and bizarrely, also loves watching tennis.
它喜歡與人為伴，經常在作家湯姆工作時待在他的辦公室里——很奇怪的是，它還喜歡看網球比賽。

Cal, 53, who runs a theatre company, said: 'He acts more like a dog than a donkey, he loves attention from people.
53歲的卡爾經營著一家劇院公司，她說：“它表現得更像一只狗而不是驢，它喜歡得到別人的關注。”

'Dougie was raised with a lot of human contact so when we got him aged eight months old we wanted to maintain that.
“道基在與人類關系緊密的環境中長大，它8個月大時來到我們這兒，我們想保留它親近人類的性格。”

'All our animals have run of the house and we wouldn't have wanted Dougie to be any different.'
“我們養的動物都可以在屋里跑來跑去，道基也不例外。”

Calfirst got Dougie as a present for her 50th birthday, having visited a friend who had a donkey.
卡爾在拜訪一個養著驢子的朋友之后，那個朋友把道基作為卡爾50歲的生日禮物送給了她。

When he was eight months old she brought him home to their small holding which is surrounded by 250 acres of Wildlife Trust land.
道基8個月大的時候，她把它帶回家，一處周圍有250英畝的野生動物信托用地的小房產。

Caladded: 'We are like pretend farmers. We have lots of animals, but it's not a working farm. Dougie was put into the wildflower meadow at the bottom of our garden with a little shed for shelter.
卡爾補充道：“我們就像在扮演農場主的身份。我們養了很多動物，但這并不是真正的農場。我們把道基養在花園盡頭的野花地里，有一個小棚屋為它遮風擋雨。

'We have French windows that open out into the garden and before long Dougie found his way into the house.'
“我們的落地窗對著花園敞開，沒多久道基就發現它可以從那兒進入房子了。”

Dougie quickly made friends with the other animals, including Griff, Cal's seven-year-old Irish wolfhound, who is the same size as the donkey.
道基很快就和其他動物交上了朋友，比如卡爾7歲大的愛爾蘭獵狼犬格里夫（Griff），它的體型和道基一樣大。

She said: 'We take Dougie for walks with Griff and he gets very cross if he sees us going and we don't take him with us.
她說：“我們帶道基和格里夫一起散步，如果道基發現我們出去散步卻不帶它，就會很生氣。”

'Griff gets a bit jealous of Dougie because he doesn't like to share me.'
“格里夫有點吃道基的醋，因為它不想和別的動物分享我。”

The little donkey does get up to mischief, often holding lady's skirts or cardigans firmly in his mouth.
這頭小驢子也會調皮搗蛋，常把女士的裙子或羊毛衫緊緊銜在口中。

Calsaid: 'He doesn't chew or rip their clothes, he will just stand very close to them and not let go.
卡爾說：“它不會把她們的衣服嚼爛或撕碎，只是緊貼著她們站著，就不松口。”

'It doesn't faze my friends, they are used to me having so many animals around.
“這嚇不到我的朋友們，她們已經習慣我身邊圍繞著各種動物了。”

'Dougie never steals food though, not like the pigs who sometimes come in the house.
“但道基從來不偷食物，不會像豬一樣有時會跑到屋子里找食物。”

'If there is an apple or carrot on the side he won't be interested, he's just looking for his daily dose of affection - usually a scratch and a tickle.'
“即便旁邊擺著蘋果或胡蘿卜它也不感興趣，它只是來接受每天例行的愛撫——通常就是給它撓癢癢。”

Calhas some advice for anyone who may be considering getting a miniature donkey of their own.
卡爾也給想養迷你驢的人提出了一些建議。

She said: 'They make incredible pets, they all have their own personalities and they're very affectionate but donkeys need shelter, grazing and company so you need to do your research - especially as they can live well into their forties.'
她說：“它們是很棒的寵物，有著獨立的個性，很有感情，但注意驢子需要遮蔽的地方、吃草和陪伴，所以養之前你得做好準備——尤其要注意它們能活到四十好幾歲。”

Vocabulary

shed：牲口棚

French window：落地窗

cross：生氣的，憤怒的

mischief：惡作劇，搗亂

cardigan：羊毛衫

faze：使慌亂

graze：(牲畜)啃食牧草，吃青草，放牧

英文來源：每日郵報

譯者：Garfield貓

審校&編輯：劉明