Yesterday and today my puppy, Claire, has done a most curious thing, and something she hasn't done until now (she's now about six months old).
As we were playing fetch yesterday with her stuffed dragon (her favorite toy), she brought one of her rawhide bones to me and laid it down in front of me. Thinking she wanted to play fetch with it, I gave it a toss and she whined at me.
Again this morning she brought one of her rawhide bones to me and placed it on the ground before me. This time I did not throw it. She sat down next to me, looked at it, and gave a little whine.
She doesn't want me to chew on it, does she?
My dog (an adult German Shepherd) has done this to me as long as I can remember.
ReplyDeleteIf it's a rawhide, sometimes she wants me to hold one end while she chews on the other. I don't know why, but I know that's what she wants as she will then lie down and gnaw on it, and when she's satisfied with this apparent bonding experience, she gently pulls it away from my grasp and turns away to chew on her own.
Other times she'll bring a toy and toss it at me (really!), which often means she wants me to throw it, but sometimes she apparently just wants to give it to me much like a little kid will "show" someone their favorite toy, and when it has been seen, then she will take it back to her "place" to play with it.
I wonder if your puppy is just wanting you to handle the rawhide so that it will have your scent on it? That's what I suspect my dog is doing when she does this, although I'm sure a dog behavior expert would have something better to offer than this idea!
Ahh, now that's where I draw the line, Father! Maybe you're supposed to fawn over it, using that higher-pitched voice people reserve for puppies and small children? She's proud of it, I bet, and expects you to admire it as well!
ReplyDeleteHi Fr. Daren,
ReplyDeleteI asked one of my friends who has dogs what she thought. She told me one of her dogs likes her to hold the bone while he chews on it, so he's presenting the bone to get her to participate.
Also, she thinks maybe the bone needs softened for a puppy and the way to do that is soak it in warm to hot water for 10 minutes.
She & I wish you good luck with Claire!
LOL! Try chewing on it, Father. My Golden Retriever has never done anything that curious. I do wonder what your puppy is trying to say.
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