When Maggie was a puppy she used to dig a little in the back yard. She would have part of an uneaten rawhide bone, find a loamy spot in the garden, scratch the soil back with her paws, drop in her treasure, and cover it with her nose. After only a few minutes of surveying the yard, she would dig it up again.
She outgrew this behavior after a while, because she knew she could always count on us for treats, and so she never needed to develop that instinct for hoarding and hiding.
Once in a while she would take a piece of kibble from her bowl and toss it around the room, often following it as it scuttled down the hall, or into the living room, or another nearby part of the house.
One night, she lay in front of the couch, sniffing under it and whining urgently. Not knowing what else to do, we heaved the couch away, and found a piece of kibble she must have lost...maybe WEEKS before. This would occur every so often...in front of the refrigerator, or the clothes washer.... I am still trying to learn if it was the scent of the food that attracted her...or if she actually remembered losing it there.
My dogs do the same thing with their kibble (mostly Ringo) and I want so much to tell him "don't play with your food" as any responsible dad would, but it's just so much fun to watch I never do. Great story on Maggie. She seems like she was such an awesome dog and so funny too! I just can't say no to a dog like that, regardless of what they do. It's no wonder you loved her so.
ReplyDeleteWe loved her for so many reasons, even in spite of her challenges. I hope you will enjoy the upcoming stories too. Thanks for your comments Tom!
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