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(zhèn)（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(jīng)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(wǎng)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(jīng)營著一家劇院公司，她說：“它表現(xiàn)得更像一只狗而不是驢，它喜歡得到別人的關(guān)注?！?/span>

'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(guān)系緊密的環(huán)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(yǎng)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(yǎng)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(chǎn)。

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(nóng)場主的身份。我們養(yǎng)了很多動物，但這并不是真正的農(nóng)場。我們把道基養(yǎng)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(fā)現(xiàn)它可以從那兒進入房子了?！?/span>

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(fā)現(xiàn)我們出去散步卻不帶它，就會很生氣?！?/span>

'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?！?/span>

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(diào)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?！?/span>

'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(jīng)習慣我身邊圍繞著各種動物了?！?/span>

'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?！?/span>

'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?！?/span>

Calhas some advice for anyone who may be considering getting a miniature donkey of their own.
卡爾也給想養(yǎng)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(yǎng)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