Entente Dogi-Cordiale

Today, after gym, I stopped off to buy some mushrooms. Rushing into the house to avoid the chill rain I tossed the plastic bag on the floor along with my scarf and coat, as I made way for the heater and then the stove to boil some water. After changing clothes, I brought my coffee to my desk and sat down at the glow box.

Scrrritch .... Scrrrritch .... Scrrrritch ..... Scrrritch ....

“What the hell is going on?” I turn around and see Fipsie working the bag of mushrooms. I watch. He shreds.

Ever since he was a pup, Fips has loved tearing bags apart. If he sees me walking inside carrying plastic bags, he starts to hop around my feet, lunging for a bag. If I leave it in any accessible place, he will start to paw and gnaw. If I come back to the car carrying one or two bags with me that I intend to put on the passenger or back seat, Fips will crowd up to the door and start pulling at the bag before I can get inside.

Usually I have let him carry on. It has always been my view that this activity represents a form of initiative and cognition. Why would anyone want to scold that down? So what if a little bit of steak gets gnawed on?

Or croissant or baguette or tortilla or peanuts or chicken or even carrots.

Well... but life has its limits and more often than not I will let Fips get close enough to his olfactory goal before “helping” out in a way that insures that I preserve les droits du seigneur. Fips has his little adventure, both dogs get their little reward and I am left with something to eat too. It’s a good entente dogi-cordiale.

Fips gets to the mushrooms, sniffs and goes back to shredding the bag. The fungi hold no allure for doggie boy, but shredding an enclosure with his canines is in his doxie blood. He shreds. I watch.

Until at last, he lays his head down on the remains of the bag, surrounded by three ignored mushrooms.

.