Pirate, Quest & Journey
For the most part, I have not fed my dogs raw meat. I preferred feeding all of them the same food and I was advised by several vets, not to feed Spirit raw foods. He had some auto-immune problems that made it more of a risk for him to chance the possibility of bacteria. He also could not have vacinations and various types of medicines. Since we lost Spirit last year, I had decided to give my dogs the treat of a piece of chicken each day. When I got home from the store on the first day, I placed the package on our picnic table and opened it. I had a very appreciative audience, just from the smell alone. I handed Quest a drumstick and he barely hesitated. He took it away to examine it briefly before finishing it off. Pirate sniffed a little longer, then took it and followed Quest's example. Journey took his when I handed it to him, but he dropped it almost immediately, jumped back, and then sniffed at it, as if it were alive and maybe going to get him. He left it and ran to see what the other guys were doing. When he rushed back to his drumstick, he grabbed it and shook it. Then he took it to the lawn at the top of the property where he put it on the grass. He pounced on it as if it were alive; he rolled on it; he picked it up in his front teeth with his lips drawn back and he shook it. Next he tossed it in the air and then pounced on it. He even started tossing it in the air and catching it. He looked like a coyote with a mouse. He was so funny that I wished I had anticipated his reaction and had a camera ready. Every couple minutes he stopped and looked to see what the other guys were doing. He finally decided to eat it and he really enjoyed it. Since that first day, they are all really enjoying their drumsticks. Journey is still playing with his for a while before he "kills" it. I know, it is not really alive, but he still seems to believe it is. He even makes funny little noises while he pounces on it. What a dog! He is certainly fun to watch and what ever he is thinking, it appears that the raw meat just brings out his primitive soul. Pirate and Quest are mildly interested in watching his performance, but have not shown any of the action that Journey does. I hope to get some pictures of him doing his "raw food antics". I find it so curious that he reacts to it this way. He has never shown any interest in playing with his other foods.
Spirit, Baby Pirate & Quest
At least two or more of my dogs ride in the back of my Subaru wagon when I go to the store, or wherever. In all the years I have had Shepherds, at least twenty-five, I have put groceries in the back, next to the door. I have never, ever had a dog get into my groceries. I can leave fish, beef, chicken, or anything else there and my boys will not touch it. They usually stick their nose in the bag and inhale deeply to see what is there, but not even a suggestion of attempting a sample. I can even stop at more than one store, and leave those groceries alone with them. At first I thought maybe it was just Spirit guarding them for me. He was like that, but whatever it was, my groceries were safe and I did not even think about it. After giving them the raw chicken, I was a little concerned that perhaps the temptation would be too great. Well, no problem. I have left them with the groceries just like normal (even their drum sticks) and no one messes with them. I think Spirit taught them honor.
You know, I have to change that slightly. I just remembered, when Pirate was a baby, maybe about four months, we had gone to Portland to take Spirit to his underwater treadmill session. He had that after his hip replacements, or if he was sore from arthritis.
My absolute favorite pizza place was located in the same block with the vet's clinic. It was a little over an hour drive from where we live. I would like to have indulged in a pizza every time I went there, but I swear, I can gain weight from just looking at pizza. Anyway, when I do decide to allow myself the absolute sin of buying a pizza, my most important criteria is that it be "the best". If I am going to commit this sin it is going to be really worth it! After therapy I picked up a medium pizza, which was good for at least three meals.
On the way home I took a side track to a beautiful island in the Columbia River. Sauvie Island has farms that raise wonderful vegetables, fruit, flowers, lavender and many wonderful things I enjoy. There is a lake, and just so many beautiful things to see. I love to stop at a pretty farm that sells produce and lovely Dahlias. You just pick up a bucket, fill it with water and place it in a red wagon. They give you clippers and you can walk between the aisles and choose your own flowers. A whole bucket full, as many as you can fit in it, are only about $10. There are many varieties of flowers. I especially love the Dahlias but the sunflowers and many other types are also beautiful. A bucket full can fill three to five large vases at home and I love having fresh flowers in every room sometimes.
Well, as much as I trusted the adult dogs, Spirit and Quest, I did not feel quite that confident about four month old Pirate. I placed the warm Pizza box, inside of a plastic bag, under the mat in the back of the Subaru. I felt that it was totally safe and I went on my way to the produce store and the flower field. When I returned to the car with my bags of food and flowers, I discoved a man standing beside my car and smiling. Spirit and Quest were in the front seats, as far away from Pirate as they could possibly get. The man was laughing and he told me that he had waited for me. That was a little puzzling. About then I saw the open pizza box and a happy, tomato sauce and cheese faced puppy.
It seems that the man was concerned that the blame be placed where it belonged. He pointed at Pirate and said "he did it. He did it all by himself. The others didn't touch it." I noticed that they were both leaning as far forward as possible and wanted nothing to do with Pirate or the pizza box. Pirate casually took one more lick on the last remaining piece of pizza, which was sadly missing its entire topping of cheese and goodies. He had eaten the whole pizza, with the exception of that one small, denuded piece.
In retelling the story, the man was laughing so much he could hardly relate it. He was so amazed at the older guys and how good they were. He said he could hardly believe that the pup could eat all that and he figured they would all get in trouble. He said he just could not leave them, knowing that, because they had been so good. He said he told Pirate to stop but it didn't do any good.
I could see that he was truly enjoying the story. I am afraid that at that time I just could not enjoy the situation or find it as funny as he did. I tried, but all I could think of was my pizza. The man said "I hope he doesn't get an upset tummy". I said "yeah, that would be a shame"! That set him off laughing again.
Well I scolded Pirate and we headed home. I stopped at Papa Murphy's and bought another pizza. It was good, but it was not "my favorite"
Months later, we were once again at the clinic for Spirit's therapy and I decided to get a pizza. The dogs were all in the car. When I came out with the pizza Pirate took one look at the pizza box and dissapeared in the back of the car. He recognized the box! He would not even stay in the back with it. He came up front to ride next to me in the passenger seat. :o) That was our one and only experience with food thievery.
Baby Pirate
