Dog friends

Winning dog friends sometimes proves a losing proposition

My husband, Peter, is trying to impress a local collie.

Peter knows better than this. He had a collie for many years. Collies are not easily impressed. They have their own priorities and their own agenda, and if it happens to coincide with yours, you can pretend they did something on your behalf – but you’d be lying to yourself. 

But Peter still loves collies. The current object of Peter’s affection is named Lassero and lives on a road Peter takes every day on his hike. 

Peter met the collie one day when the dog was sticking his head through the curtains. Peter learned his name from the collie’s owner, and went on to assume he and the collie would be fast friends. Every day, as Peter walked by, he called out, “Lassero!” and the collie ignored him. So Peter decided he would start bringing treats. 

Peter brought a cookie and put it on the windowsill. The collie did not come. On the way home, Peter checked the windowsill. The cookie was gone. Peter did this for several days running. 

“Maybe Lassero’s owner is finding the cookies,” I said. “Maybe he is throwing them away!” Peter was not convinced. 

Then one day, Lassero was at the window. Peter gave him a cookie. Lassero ignored it. Peter put it down on the sill. Lassero poked it with his nose. He eventually ate it, but did not seem excited. 

“I don’t think Lassero likes cookies,” Peter concluded. The next day, he went out and bought corn chips.

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