All else is illusion.
Also: The things I see when I’m not holding a camera, if you only knew…
So it’s post-walkie and Tobie is playing with the remnant of his knuckle bone before the morning nap. It takes a bad hop and winds up behind the far front leg of the woodstove, which is rumbling dangerously away at that moment. Tobie moves in for the retrieval, only to find every part of the approach uncomfortably hot. He tries again and then deploys his tool: he walks over to me and gives me the Stare of Expectation which, since I watched the whole thing fearful that he was really going to burn himself, I immediately understood and acted upon. He took the bone from me and headed back to his bed without a hint of thanks. One doesn’t thank a hammer for correctly planting a nail.
Ah yes, the famous “Stare of Expectation” that any one with a dog knows. Our little fur ball walked up to me the other day and gave me the “stare” and it took me a few minutes to figure out the water dish needed to be filled. The other common “message” is the top-of-the-stairs-stare – that is always time to go out.
Is Tobie part cat? I get that look and no thanks from the feline constantly. Although, being a cat, no matter how I respond, it’s not what she wanted even if it was.
I sometimes suspect that all dogs are part cat. Or at least attend cat behavioral training at some point in their early development.
Joel: You’re on to something there. Too bad most dogs fail the Litter Box Use portion of the course.
Both dogs and cats are great students of human behavior, that’s what makes so damn successful on an evolutionary scale.
Also, who is training who? Are you teaching your dog to do tricks for treats? Or is the dog teaching you to dispense treats on command?
At least he did not fart as he went away.
Or did he?
Hey, he tried to do it himself before the big, sad puppy eyes were turned on you.
So there is that.
boynsea
The fact that he waited without barking was the courtesy. If you would have retrieved it before he had to ask, which is what humans are supposed to do, he would have given you a thank you look over his shoulder.
Have you seen those talking buttons for dogs and cats? I am tempted to try them
Now that’s funny 😄
My fur ball lives outside
The colder it is the better he likes it.