Only the Labradoodle knows for sure....

Chewie has taken to asking for my attention with the prettiest sit I have ever seen and the most earnest eye contact I have ever experienced from someone not doing therapy with me. I am not sure exactly how to explain the look in his eye - it is so intent and soft that it almost makes me cry - and instead I just find a good reason to use his name so I can hear him thunk his tail on the floor. Then I give him a treat. Hmmm....do you think he is so on to me - I believe he has mastered the art of people training.

Gromit is a little less subtle in just about everything he does with the exception of one key difference - Gromit is a planner - he is not exactly into charming or scamming, but he does plan without assistance. I would liken his moves to the timing of a clever and charming thief/hero - Robin Hood comes to mind - perhaps instead of an agility title he will earn his own comic book - or as they say today - graphic novel - "Who knows where the White Labradoodle will forage for his neighborhood pack next week? Will he save the little shitzu on the corner from eating only dry kibble? Will he scavenge cans of cat food for the weight lifting Rotweiler that runs the alleys in the morning?" Find out next week for 89 cents only available at Shinders -

Just this morning, while having a guest over for scones and coffee he sat in the living room while my friend and I sat on the screened porch enjoying the water feature and coffee. My friend and I sat nibbling on scones and chatting. Chewie came over and hung his chin on the arm of my chair and stared into my scone - hypnotizing it to his tongues. Alas, when he got no action he settled in for a light nap listening for the sound of the plate dropping back to the table. He would happily lick the crumbs if that was all he could get he has no pride when it comes to food.

Now Gromit was in the living room at this time. He enjoyed viewing his own personal large screen movie of the Longfellow Grill's customers on a Sunday morning. He sits in the Lazy Boy with his front legs crossed over the arm and watches out the picture window. The parking becomes scarce at brunch time and we get a lot of folks on parking on our street giving Gromit endless and steady entertainment. Thrown into the mix is a neighbor walking their dog and that gets him up and out of his chair and the adrenaline junkie in him comes out with ferocity.

Here is the thing - you would think Gromit had forgotten that we were in the house, that scones may be available and that Chewie could be getting something that he was missing. Nope, he was waiting us out and flying under the radar. When we moved from the porch to the living room Christine handed me the plate of scones and I put them on the counter. As I sat down in "Gromit's" chair he lazily walked over and gave me his head for a good ear scratch and then loosely turned his back end to me for a nice back end scratch. He does this and my friend and I get involved in conversation and before I know it he is gone and I don't notice. I realize he is not in the room and try not to be rude - so I excused myself from the conversation only to walk into the kitchen to see where once there were 4 scones, now there are two...no Gromit??? I peek around the corner and sure enough, there is Gromit tail up head down scarfing the last crumbs of his second blueberry scone. Yep - they must have been good.

Alas - I try to decide - do I work to rid my dog of this planning or make it more complicated for him to get things so he is mentally more challenged. My good friends tell me he does not counter surf at their house- hmmmm, could this really be something he does only for our entertainment? Only the Labradoodle knows for sure....