big fat faker

On walks in the past, Norman used to lunge at unsuspecting bikers and joggers who would pass us. There was also some alpha-dog attitude that put him in fighting mode when we would come across certain dogs (or people). Walks could get a little stressful. So a while back I began implementing a "positive behavior modification system." In other words, whenever we would come across another dog, I'd feed him a tasty bit of cookie or kibble. Same goes for people passing us by or anything else that would distract him and turn him into Cujo.

You can probably see where this is going.

Now, whenever he sees a dog or person walking, even if it's several blocks away, he looks to me for a tasty treat. Hell, whenever we walk about one block, he looks to me for a tasty treat, pushing my hand with his nose and boring into my soul with his dark brown pathetic eyes.

In the winter time, he often gets pieces of salt stuck between the pads of his feet. He will hold his paw up until I clean it out. In the past, I've given him treats for this because it makes it a lot easier to fix the problem when he shows me where it is rather than me watching him limp a while before figuring out which paw is affected. Hmmm, cookie after hurt paw? Duly noted, he thinks.

Since then, there have been several instances when he has "hurt" his paw on the exact same block in front of the exact same house. And today, I swear to God, he started limping, showed me a paw and then SWITCHED PAWS looking up at me as if to say, "Do I get a cookie for this, woman, or what?"

Too bad there are no Academy Awards for dogs.