When one of the human’s in the family feels peckish they go in search of a snack. They have a bag of crisps, a biscuit, an ice cream or sometimes all three. When one of the dogs of the household feels peckish we are told we have to wait until our mealtime. How is that fair? We are told off if we go to help ourselves. We are told off if we whinge and grumble because we’re hungry. We’re told off if we nibble the plants. There are some points on which being a dog means having to deal with significant injustice. Some days we’re just like you, we get the munchies and want to spend the day snacking – ok, that occurs roughly 365 days a year but that doesn’t mean we should be penalised for it. Ok, so our natural instinct is to eat all the food we can find as in the wild we wouldn’t know where our next meal is coming from, but isn’t it time that you started to trust us with a little discretion and self-control. We know you’re going to feed us tomorrow and if we just keep eating everything we find then we’re going to get fat but we’re intelligent creatures. We can make decisions. In any case, how often do you humans really need those little snacks? How would you like it if we said to you that you had to wait for your mealtime?
Megan tried a neat trick on the eating front while out for a walk this week. She found a field of manure and ran off to have a nibble. She was called back in no uncertain terms and being a dutiful dog she returned, carrying a large lump of straw laden with manure. She was told to leave it and did as she was told. Now here is the clever bit – she left it just to the side of the path where she could run and get it on the way back without suspicion… until it was too late and had been eaten. My Mistress is now refusing to let Megan kiss her for a few days, but Meg said it was worth it.
Alfie Dog with a little help from Rosemary J Kind alfie@alfiedog.me.uk
Alfie’s Diary – the Book is available at Amazon UK –https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00583ZGSA
You can find short stories to read at www.alfiedog.com