At one of my recent speaking engagements on My Doggie Says…, a member of the audience, Bill, told about his childhood dog, an Airedale, who loved fish & chips.
Bill and his Airedale lived in Scotland, where fish & chips has been popular for a long time. Bill’s dog loved fish & chips so much that Bill worked out a deal with the local “chipper.” Bill would put enough money for one order of fish & chips in a small bag, which he tied to the Airedale’s collar. The dog ran down the local lanes to the chipper, who filled the order, took the money from the dog’s small bag, and tied a bag containing the fish & chips to the dog’s collar.
Once the dog returned home, he would put the fish & chips on the floor in front of Bill. The dog never touched the food until Bill gave the “OK” signal. Bill would say “OK” and the dog would enjoy his meal.
But one evening, the dog put the fish & chips on the floor, and Bill got sidetracked before he could say “OK.” He woke up the next morning and realized that he had never told his dog it was “OK” to eat the fish & chips. He went to the next room, and there was the package, still untouched. So, belatedly, he said “OK” and the dog woofed down his prize. That’s a very disciplined Airedale.
This is a good example of the bond that can be created with a dog when the owner “listens” to his dog. Bill “heard” his Airedale say, “I really like fish & chips.” But the important thing is that he acted on the message. He helped his dog enjoy one of its favorite things every day.
