In response to our description of Daisy's finicky eating habits, Mara describes the after-dinner food fight at her place and offers a suggestion:
"Then Maggie dashes to Lisa's bowl, and finishes any atom of food left in or near it. Lisa does the same to Maggie's bowl. Floors, bowls, etc. come out spic and span...Funny you should mention this, Mara! Feeling hesitant to throw out a wonderful Saint Bernard calendar for 2007, I thought of a new purpose. Perhaps Daisy would enjoy looking at cute Saint Bernards while at dinner. So I posted a puppy clambering amidst lavender behind her dinner station. (This also serves as an easy clean-up option for the rice and egg splatters -- just toss out the photo every so often.)
So, the solution is obvious. Daisy needs a dinner companion."
What do you know? You are absolutely right. Ever since that puppy has been her breakfast and dinner partner across the bowl, Daisy has slurped up every bit of food she can, and right quick, too.
Our scientifically minded readers might object: "Correlation is not causation!" And indeed, it's true. But, failing the ability to interview Daisy, we have to go with anecdotal observation. And we do have two data points from separate locations -- New York and San Francisco -- that suggest that dinner companions do boost appetite.
1 comment:
Who knew? I've also heard it said that animals can't "see" photographs. Recognizing a two-dimensional image as a three-dimensional object is something that only we extra-smart humans have mastered. Daisy obviously puts the lie to this conceit. How else to explain her behavior? Daisy is truly a wonder dog!
Post a Comment