Sydney likes the attention she receives for putting her paws on people's feet . . . and, she has a creative personality. She must have decided that since the footwalk behavior succeeded in getting her so much positive attention, perhaps a variation could be used to speed up dinner.
She now enjoys doing the footwalk whenever the opportunity presents itself. Recently, I was having trouble with my telephone, and the phone company technician was in my home office checking the wall connections. Suddenly he got an odd expression on his face. Yep, Sydney had walked up behind him, poked herself between his legs, and put her front feet on top of his. Needless to say, he was more than a little surprised!
Last evening while standing in the kitchen busily preparing dinner for my dogs, I turned to step over to the side counter; however, my foot was firmly stuck to the floor. Although this is a common occurrence at dinnertime, it never fails to amuse me. Sydney, lying sphinx-like next to me on the floor, had both front paws pressed firmly on top of my foot -- telling me, in effect, that I was not going anywhere until her dinner was served.
Sydney's foot-contact behavior derived from a foot related move I had taught her. Just for fun, I used to encourage Sydney to some forward between my legs and, standing beneath me, put her front paws on top of each of my feet. For this, she would receive hugs and a tidbit. This behavior progressed to where I could move all around the room with her standing on my feet - forward, backward, sideways, and turning in circles - exactly as a daddy might teach his little girl to dance.
Drawings and text created for
publication in the
International Parti Poodle Gazette
August 2006 issue
By Charlene Dunlap
