My dog isn't "high tech", but then...neither am I. What my dog happens to be is a loyal companion and a lot nicer than some people I know (and some I don't know). Her behavior shows that she is intelligent and can learn. In fact, she has learned many things in her nearly seven years of life. She has several puzzle toys especially designed to provide mental stimulation for dogs, and she can quickly solve all of them.
There is a great deal of scientific evidence of canine intelligence, as well as intelligence in other non-human species once thought to act only on instinct. This includes the ability to solve problems and use items as tools. So...no, she isn't high tech, but neither does she embody the Dark Ages.
I certainly don't consider dogs--the one who enhances my life or any other dog--a "lower form of life", and most thinking people do not take that attitude, even if they don't have or want pets of their own.
