.gif)
My friend was away for a few days. So I watched his dog Rufus. An English bulldog.
I know Rufas barks when I ask him if he wants a treat. Some dogs will just sit there starring at you, panting, drooling, being quiet when you show them the doggie cookie.
But Rufus will keep barking until you give him a treat.
This weekend I was sitting on my front porch smoking my pipe. Rufus lay down next to me. Two young neighborhood children stopped to see me.
“What’s his name?” Timmy the 6 year old asked.
“Rufus.”
Timmy and his 8 year old brother Mitchell began to pet Rufus.
“He’s a smart dog.” I told them. “He can count.”
Both kids looked at me like I had two heads.
“No way.” Says Mitchell.
“Sure thing.” I answered. “I taught him myself.”
“Let’s see.” Timmy hollered.
Okay. I’ll see if Rufus is up for it.
“Rufus? You feel like counting?” I asked him.
Rufus looked at me kinda silly like. He wasn’t quite sure what the hell I was talking about. But he did stand up.
“Okay boys, you gotta be quiet. Rufus needs to think.”
I had a box of treats already for Rufus. I know he’s a barker. Ask him to speak. He’ll bark for a treat. Hell, I know Rufus will bark at anything I say to him for a treat.
Rufus was sitting down. I put a treat in my hand.
“Okay boys here we go.”
I held the treat above Rufus’s head.
“Rufus. Count to 2.”
“Arf, Arf.” He barked. I immediately shoved a treat in his mouth.
“HOLY COW!” Timmy yelled. “Do it again.”
“It’s a trick.” Mitchell said. “Lets see him count to 6.”
“Six.” I answered. “That’s a tough one. I never taught him to count to six.”
So Mitchell, the little wise ass says. “Ya. He’s a fake. Don’t believe it Tim.”
“I’ll tell you what.” I said to Mitchell. “If Rufus doesn’t count to 6. I’ll eat this dog biscuit.”
“Ya.Ya.” Timmy yells. “Do it.”
“Ya. Do it Frank. Cause I wanna see you eat a dog biscuit.” Mitchell says with that mischievous grin and tough boy attitude.
Once again I showed Rufus the treat.
“Rufus. I know this is gonna be hard for you. But remember when I taught you to count to five? Well now count to six. That’s just one more number.”
“This is crazy.” I heard Mitchell say.
“Shhhh. Be quiet.” I told him. “Rufus can’t concentrate when people are talking.”
“Rufus. Count to six. It’s just one more number past 5. Count.”
I showed him the treat. And Rufus started barking.
“Arf. Arf. Arf. Arf. Arf. Arf.” Good boy I told him and immediately shoved a dog biscuit in his mouth before he gave another bark.
Timmy was so excited. “Rufus is the smartest dog in the world.” He yelled as he patted his neck.
“I wanna see him count to 20.” Mitchell said.
“Maybe next year. Give him time. He‘s only 4.” I told him.
Anyway, a few hours later 3 neighborhood kids came to the house with their dogs. They wanted me to teach their pets how to count.
Kids, gotta love’em!!!
I know Rufas barks when I ask him if he wants a treat. Some dogs will just sit there starring at you, panting, drooling, being quiet when you show them the doggie cookie.
But Rufus will keep barking until you give him a treat.
This weekend I was sitting on my front porch smoking my pipe. Rufus lay down next to me. Two young neighborhood children stopped to see me.
“What’s his name?” Timmy the 6 year old asked.
“Rufus.”
Timmy and his 8 year old brother Mitchell began to pet Rufus.
“He’s a smart dog.” I told them. “He can count.”
Both kids looked at me like I had two heads.
“No way.” Says Mitchell.
“Sure thing.” I answered. “I taught him myself.”
“Let’s see.” Timmy hollered.
Okay. I’ll see if Rufus is up for it.
“Rufus? You feel like counting?” I asked him.
Rufus looked at me kinda silly like. He wasn’t quite sure what the hell I was talking about. But he did stand up.
“Okay boys, you gotta be quiet. Rufus needs to think.”
I had a box of treats already for Rufus. I know he’s a barker. Ask him to speak. He’ll bark for a treat. Hell, I know Rufus will bark at anything I say to him for a treat.
Rufus was sitting down. I put a treat in my hand.
“Okay boys here we go.”
I held the treat above Rufus’s head.
“Rufus. Count to 2.”
“Arf, Arf.” He barked. I immediately shoved a treat in his mouth.
“HOLY COW!” Timmy yelled. “Do it again.”
“It’s a trick.” Mitchell said. “Lets see him count to 6.”
“Six.” I answered. “That’s a tough one. I never taught him to count to six.”
So Mitchell, the little wise ass says. “Ya. He’s a fake. Don’t believe it Tim.”
“I’ll tell you what.” I said to Mitchell. “If Rufus doesn’t count to 6. I’ll eat this dog biscuit.”
“Ya.Ya.” Timmy yells. “Do it.”
“Ya. Do it Frank. Cause I wanna see you eat a dog biscuit.” Mitchell says with that mischievous grin and tough boy attitude.
Once again I showed Rufus the treat.
“Rufus. I know this is gonna be hard for you. But remember when I taught you to count to five? Well now count to six. That’s just one more number.”
“This is crazy.” I heard Mitchell say.
“Shhhh. Be quiet.” I told him. “Rufus can’t concentrate when people are talking.”
“Rufus. Count to six. It’s just one more number past 5. Count.”
I showed him the treat. And Rufus started barking.
“Arf. Arf. Arf. Arf. Arf. Arf.” Good boy I told him and immediately shoved a dog biscuit in his mouth before he gave another bark.
Timmy was so excited. “Rufus is the smartest dog in the world.” He yelled as he patted his neck.
“I wanna see him count to 20.” Mitchell said.
“Maybe next year. Give him time. He‘s only 4.” I told him.
Anyway, a few hours later 3 neighborhood kids came to the house with their dogs. They wanted me to teach their pets how to count.
Kids, gotta love’em!!!
