National Geographic Magazine: Animal Minds, 2008-Mar, by Virginia Morell: The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig has launched a study of three border collies reknowned for their vocabulary (200-300 words) and uncanny ability to figure out what their human companions want. Maybe these collies are especially good at it because they're working dogs and highly motivated, and in their traditional herding jobs, they must listen very closely to their owners.