Wednesday, February 03, 2010

One reason why I love this dog

This is Max.

Let me tell you about our collie Max.

Collies are known to have sensitive stomachs. So I depart very little from his dietary regimen of Nutros' Natural Choice formula for sensitive stomachs. But for a long time I had been giving him an occasional treat in the form of a few pieces of raw carrot. He loved it.

A few years ago Max developed an aversion to the sound that my potato peeler made whenever I peeled potatoes or carrots. Whenever I began the peeling process, he would drop whatever he was doing (that usually involved taking a nap) and he would race into the kitchen and to my side at the sink where he would begin this horrid high-pitched, ear-piercing whining that would evolve into an outpouring of rapid barking. I took this to mean that he was begging me to abandon the project due to the noise.

One day while I was peeling carrots I decided that maybe I could get him to shut up by giving him the carrot peelings. It worked. It works with potato peelings, too, except I am careful to give him only small amounts of raw potatoes.

Now whenever he hears the sound of the potato peeler, he rushes into the kitchen and stands quietly alongside me there at the sink waiting for his treat.

This is one reason why I love this dog.