Handle Preference

 

I tried several different baskets with a variety of handles but the one he preferred was this soft fabric one.

"Carry!"

 Trip is a true "I want immediate gratification" millenial! After teaching him to bring the mail into the house in a basket, we moved onto carrying other things from place to place. When we go to PetSmart to buy his food, he chooses a treat, carries it to the checkout (where he drops it and begs for one he can eat right then), then carries his small purchase to the car. I have been trying to get him to carry other things and, although we are making progress, there absolutely has to be food involved to entice him. One day he was chewing on a hard treat that would take most of the day to consume and he insisted on carrying it on his walk - from leaving the house, walking a mile, and returning. I try to hold off on his mealtimes and walks, but his internal clock triggers him to annoy me for an hour prior to every meal time and scheduled outing. Yesterday afternoon, I finally had to take him for his evening walk before the sun set enough to cool things down a little. Generally, he walks in front of me on the way out and lags behind, panting, on the way back, always trying to prolong the experience. This time, he took care of business, turned around, and volunteered to lead the way home, He wasn't even panting, just prancing merrily along, in the lead. As we crossed the threshold of the house, I thought I heard a tiny squeak. If my TV had been working and I had left it on for noise, I probably would not have noticed the tiny sound. I leaned down to release the leash and Trip began prancing off to his man-cave. "Wait!" I ordered. Trip turned to look me straight in the eye with the gleam of happiness that shows when he has things going his way. "What do you have in your mouth?" I asked him as he continued staring at me and not volunteering anything. I moved to help him open his mouth which he resisted. Finally, I succeeded and......out popped a cicada he had captured and carried home to snack on. The little minx. I tossed it out!