Her nose knows before I have a chance to call her to the kitchen.
I turn around and she is sitting pretty by my feet, licking her lips.
She’s a silent beggar.
The blueberries need to be washed first.
She should know this by now.
I pick one and offer it to her.
Taking it from me, she allows the underside of her front teeth to gently scrape my fingers.
It’s a nibble, not a chomp chomp.
We taught her well.
But actually,
she’s just a sweet dog, training or no training.
HJ tells me that when he makes a sandwich for lunch, she runs into the kitchen the moment he opens the peanut butter jar.
She sits near him and watches his moves.
She waits for a taste.
If he’s too slow, she changes positions.
She lies down, she sits again, she slinks to her bed a few feet away and stares.
Trying not to blink, her snout tilts up as she stays still, like a soldier at attention.
Waiting for a human food treat is serious business.
At ease, solider.
Your desires are noted.
We reward her polite restraint with a nibble nibble of our human food.
Blueberry, peanut butter, banana, carrot, egg, cheese.
She loves these little bits and we love offering them to her.
It’s a joyful routine for all.