It is the custom here that he, because Opie never bothers, gets to lick clean any bowls or dishes that have the traces of anything fit for him to eat still on.
He has to sit, at a metre or more, from the soon to be placed dish and wait for the command after it is put down, before moving forward to cut down washing up liquid outlay.
The command is ‘bon appetit’ and he has been known to sit unmoving even if I leave the room.
But today he surpassed himself. I told him to sit and stay, which he did. He then dutifully waited for the command to advance. As he was sitting there, Opie, who had just come into the room, walked calmly past him and set about licking the bowl clean. I wonder how many dogs would put up with such outrageous behaviour without darting forward or even becoming aggressive.
He moved not a muscle but after a few seconds turned away as if nothing had happened.
He may be a pain in the arse out in the wild, still after all this time needing a very long line attached just in case he senses prey on the ground, but indoors he is impeccable.
Our pedigree Labrador, Benson, had a Lab gene missing. He would never eat unless told he could. Staying with friends his food was put out and told he could eat it by them. He didn’t touch it until I came into the room and confirmed permission. He did like chasing tadpoles.
That’s where Benson and Jules disagree, Jules hates the water, even when playing rowdily with a new found friend, a Swiss Shepherd, he wouldn’t follow it into the river and waited till the Shepherd emerged before continuing with the play.
Very good @SuePJ
Hearing from you reminds me. At the moment I am reading a really lovely book by a woman who was born with skin, and other surfaces inside and out, that are so fragile that simply touching can produce a rupture.
She once found that a doctor she visited had 2 Airedales in the surgery, either side of the desk like bookends. She was allowed to stroke both and neither had any effect on her skin at all. I thought that they had somewhat wiry coats. Not so?
They have very wiry coats, like many terriers. And they have a double coat - fine inner one, coarse outer one. It makes them well able to cope with water and cold. Mind you, nobody told that to two of ours - Vita and Clara, both of whom would walk round puddles rather than go in. I took Vita to the sea, thinking she would enjoy it - she climbed a headland behind me rather than get her feet wet
They can be good dogs for someone with allergies because they don’t shed their coats (much). They just get very woolly looking. One of ours at the “woolly” stage.
That’s what I thought, so how on earth did they not scratch this lady? For someone so fragile it makes you wonder how she has not only married twice but born 2 children without serious injury.
She can even stop breathing when asleep due to problems in her throat, but she has a Golden Retriever who sleeps at the bottom of their bed and can sense if she does. He then pushes a big red button with his nose which then immediately summons an ambulance. Aren’t dogs wonderful?
what a lovely dog. when I ived in the uk I did working trials with my German Shepherds over several years. trainig so interesting, some better than others at different elements. Well done you, and le beau Beauceron Jules.
