[PyrNet-L] Selective hearing in PYRs

[Reisch3@aol.com]

Hello All! 

I have just returned from 2 weeks in New Orleans to find my pampered PYR has
developed a selective hearing problem.  He spent those 14 days with his
grandmother (my mom), who was delighted to puppy-sit, and proceeded to feed
him huge cans of Pedigree because he "looked miserable and wouldn't eat"
while I was gone.  
Since he was pining away for me, he was also allowed to sleep on the sofa and
chew anything remotely available for his masticular pleasure.  Unfortunately,
this included a pair of very expensive Ferragamo shoes (this dog has taste!)
and the insoles from Mom's slippers.  With the beaming smile that only a
grandmother can produce, Mom informed me that, yes, she is now slipperless,
but that Klondike showed remarkable restraint in ONLY eating the insoles and
not snacking down on the entire slipper assembly.  
So, last night, my first night home, I was not surprised that Klonnie planned
to share my bed.  What did surprise me was his refusal to let me have any
room!  Apparently, he has developed the remarkable ability to completely
ignore the words, "Move,"  "Off," or "No."  The only thing that finally got me
my pittance of bedspace was my only human advantage over my PYR - I have
opposable thumbs.  Therefore I alone can open the cookie cabinet, the
inaccessible pleasure paradise of my canine.  Once I did so, Klondike hurled
himself off the bed and skidded to a rough stop at my feet.  I gave him his
cookie, and he made the error that won me my place on the bed....he waited for
another one!  Since I never give him more than one at a time, I thanked my
lucky stars and flew back to my room.   After a few minutes, however, I
wondered why he was still there in front of the cabinet...
He answered my query with a series of sharp, highly annoying "bark-lets."
When I didn't give him the demanded cookie, he proceeded to bark more...and
more...  Finally I called my mother.  She cleared everything up by informing
me that His Royal Fluffines is now used to at least three cookies every time
he sits in front of the cabinet.  As for the barking, Mom thought it would be
cute to teach him to "speak"  while I was gone.  Every time he barked, she
told him "Good Speak"  and gave him a cookie.  Thanks to his incredible
selective hearing, he figured out the "bark"  part, but won't do it on
command.

A little training is a dangerous thing!

Anyway, it's just great to be back in the company of my PYR, obnoxious or not.
I don't think I will go away again for a long, long time...

~Becky and Klondike