At four months old, puppy Pepper is developing a personality. He's rambunctious in the way of the young, always excited and happy to see us when we go outside. He leaps and prances, then tucks in behind us as we walk. It must be the heeler part of him. I don't recall our other pups doing this, though Jack and Juno (the lab/border collie mix) did this in adulthood, each of them sometimes poking my leg with a nose to steer me.
Anyhoo... Pepper is good about not jumping ON us. He learned that quickly with just a sharp NO! He will hop on his hind legs, but not make contact.
Pepper knows that I bring a little treat as I leave for town. Lately it has been a bite-size piece of stale English Muffin dipped in the juices left from the Easter roasted vegetables with bacon. I'm sure Pepper can smell it. But he also looks at my hands, to see if I am carrying his treat.
Jack knows to go stand on the side porch and wait. That's where I distribute the leaving treats. Pepper seems to hope I'll drop it early. Even though I give him a (soothing) Farmer H style lecture on the way. "Pepper. You know you don't get a treat until I'm at the top of the steps. Just wait."
Today, Pepper was hopping on his hind legs, in front of me as I reached the steps and turned to toss the treats. He BARKED at me! Just once. As when you teach a dog to wait for a treat, and say, "Speak." It was coincidental timing.
Heh, heh. Pepper has taught himself a trick. He might be a genius. I'm sure he thinks he has ME trained to drop a treat when he barks.
6 comments:
Good job pepper! I have seen the dishes you make that have a gravy, I too would be on my best behaviour if I was Pepper ;)
jj,
It's in a recycled sour cream container on the kitchen counter. It has bacon grease, and the other liquids I had added, like some Worcestershire sauce, and the powdered Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning. If it wasn't a month old, at room temp, I might be tempted myself!
A month old? Yikes. and urk! I think Pepper has learned well to stay behind you and to bark for his treat.
River,
You wouldn't survive around here! My mom and grandma kept used bacon grease in a jar beside the stove for MONTHS at a time! To use for seasoning, or to fry things in. One of them even gave me a little pig-shaped container for such a purpose. It was only decorative for me. We don't eat much bacon, except in green beans, or to flavor the roasted vegetables, or in the seven layer salad. The dogs are fine with having this TREAT rationed out to them until it's gone.
Pepper seems pretty smart, and eager to please. He's just at the rambunctious age, and is controlling that pretty well where his people are concerned. Now Jack... that's another story. Jack is taking a beating from Pepper's antics.
My mum kept bacon grease too and beef drippings, but in the fridge.
River,
That wasn't happening here! I'm pretty sure my other grandma also let hers sit out. We didn't keep beef drippings. I think I might keep them in the fridge if I saved them.
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