"If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them." Phil Pastoret
My dog, Bizy, loves dog cookies. Actually, I believe she would come out of a coma if I merely whispered the word, "cookie." Yesterday, however, I observed a real first...at least for her. She usually starts working me for dinner at 5:00 - but yesterday, she was restless and started at 3. So, in order to buy me some time, I gave her a chicken leg. Now...don't panic...it was not a REAL chicken leg...it was a dog cookie SHAPED like a chicken leg. (Made by Milkbone)
She felt this was such a treasure, I guess, that she LITERALLY carried in it her mouth for THREE HOURS. She didn't sleep...she didn't even lay down...she just paced with this stupid chicken leg poking out of her mouth. She looked desperately in my face - like she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with it. It wasn't until 6:00 - when I put her dinner out (an hour late - which is UNHEARD of around here) that she finally ate the thing.
This fabulous dog cookie produced anxiety and stress for my dog. Simple as that.
I think her experience was nearly "human" if you think about it. How much stress do we feel over our precious "stuff?" What if someone dents your new car - or you lose a favorite earring...or how about all the china that sits around and collects dust as you wait to use it on a special occasion? What do we do with our treasures? Kind of like that little creature in Lord of the Rings that kept referring to the Ring as "my Precious."
No huge earth-shattering conclusion here...just an observation. I do think Milkbone should consider changing the name of those cookies to Hush Puppies. Sure did work on Bizy!!!
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