There's nothing wrong with neither you nor your instincts.

Bad vibes are there for a reason. They may not be 100% right 100% of the time, but gut response is what kept everyone alive long before we learned how to think. Disregarding your gut feeling is disregarding millions of years of survival training.

I'm not saying that you follow every whim and trick your gut instinct plays on you - modern society is a bit more tricky and complex than way back when your impulses were fine tuned to the environment. Divers have died because they couldn't overcome the impuse to remove that thingy in their mouth that feeds them air: Their instinct would tell them that the mouth piece is obstructing their breathing and needs to GO AWAY NOW (no, I'm not kidding - the impulse to breathe is incredible strong, and this has happened). But when your gut raises an alarm you'd better be listening.

Oh, so you've met my brother, the con man?

Your subconscious is working 24/7, not just when you turn it on. It knows how to add 2+2 and get four when your conscious is still struggling with recognizing the first 2.

Sue

LOL. I just noticed I put 'fowl' play instead of 'foul' play. No birds were involved.

I'm so sorry to read this. I have two beloved Dobes and also do some Schutzhund.