I have a Basset. He is an only dog and so when we give him a bone nobody else wants it. He loves it and treasures it like a prize possession but after he’s been slobbering on it, I don’t want to touch it.
After he’s gnawed at it and sucked out all the marrow Kingsley (that’s his name) tries to hide it. The problem is I have a small condo, very little furniture and it’s always pretty clean. So the problem is there is no place to hide the bone.
He looks and looks, wanders in circles for a good hour. Looking at each nook and cranny, then deciding it’s not right and moving on. If I have forgotten to close the bedroom door he is ecstatic! Why? The laundry basket. He loves the laundry basket. The bone, once he has rearranged all the clothes and stuffed it into the bottom is the perfect place. Unfortunately I don’t like slobbery bones in with my clothes. It is frustrating to be running late for work, thinking you can get one more wear out of the black turtleneck in the basket, only to find that it has a slobbery bone wrapped up in it. YUCK!
So the laundry basket is off limits. When I do find him heading for the basket, I will call his name. This is where he displays a trick that comes in so handy in life. Really, write this down! He stops and stands perfectly still. Apparently when you are about to do something that you know you shouldn’t do and are caught in the act, just stand still. It renders you invisible. He stands completely still and doesn’t move, no matter how loud I say his name.
Frozen basset with bone. Sounds like a masterpiece doesn’t it?
When I touch him, he is shocked. How did I know he was there? Then off he goes back out to do circles and find another spot. I guess at the very least he’s getting some excercise. I’ve stopped explaining to him that nobody wants his bone. He doesn’t believe me. So I just leave him to the task at hand.
Should I hide it in here?
No that won’t work:
Maybe here:
Back to square one:
My friend has a dog who tries to bury her bone in her crate. She paws and paws and paws at the floor in her crate, frantically trying to bury it. Then she gives up and puts it under the blanket in her crate. EVERY TIME. She isn’t exactly a genius dog.
Sounds like Kingsley! Runs in circles and the bone ends up in the crate under his bed. Takes him about an hour to decide on the same spot every time! Good thing he’s cute!