It Is Rude To Point – Conversations with Stella and the Pack

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. As I have said so often, humans are rude.

Me:        So says a bulldog. Where shall my list of rude begin?

Stella:    I’ve heard you say before how rude it is to point. I call all to witness! Has Lady Human or Tall Man ever pointed at you?

Tiger:     Sure.

Wiggles:   All the time.

Doodlebug:   Yep.

Miss Sweetie:  I don’t know. I don’t pay attention.

Snoopey:   Yeah. What’s the big deal?

Stella:    The big deal is respect.

Me:        Exactly. Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Stella:    What? How rude!

Me:        For example, I say, “Time to go out.”

Stella:    Yes, and I say, “No, not time to go out yet.”

Me:        Therefore, I point to the back door.

Stella:    Contradicting my decision by your rude hand gesture.

Me:        And then, I point to you or whoever and point to the door again.

Stella:    And I grudgingly stand up and trudge to the door and out while your rude finger is still pointing as though I don’t know what that means. The humans say that when you are pointing at someone with one finger, three fingers are pointing back at you.

Me:        Yeah, some people say that. It means don’t go accusing others, especially if you are guilty of the same thing.

Stella:    Just as I thought. You point at me to go do a thing and you need to be doing that 3 times over.

Me:        It doesn’t work that way.

Snoopey:   I like it when the humans point. They seem to know what they are doing.

Tiger:     Yes. No. Maybe.

Doodlebug:        I go where they point because I get a treat when I do.

Wiggles:   There are treats for that?

Miss Sweetie:    I don’t know. I don’t pay attention.

Stella:    And once again, bulldog dignity is sacrificed for cheap treats.

Me:        Hey, those treats cost a lot and I like to call it ‘training’.

Stella:    I call it what it is. Bribery.

Wiggles:   I’ll have some bribery, please.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stare Down – Conversations with Stella and Moon the Cat

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. I can’t talk now.

Me:        Then why did you introduce yourself?

Stella:    I can’t talk because I am in a stare down with Moon the Cat. It is intense. It is touch and go. But in the end, I am sure that my huge bulldog eyes will win.

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Me:        What do you say to that, Moon?

Moon the Cat:   Meow.

Stella:    Typical.

Me:        This is quite a contest. What are the rules?

Stella:    Ask her.

Moon the Cat:   Meooowww.

Stella:    Must I explain everything? Oh, all right. We stare each other in the eyes. No looking away.

Me:        Is blinking allowed?

Stella:    Of course. What do you think we are? Crazy?

Me:        I haven’t figured that out yet.

Stella:    Whoever looks away, moves away, or falls asleep first, loses!

Me:        Falling asleep is an option?

Stella:    The game can grow boring after a while.

Me:        What if someone interferes?

Stella:    Then we stare at them. Since they can’t stare in two directions at once, they lose.

Me:        This is just for you two, I take it.

Stella:    She is my nemesis and I am hers.

Me:        Okey dokey then. Well, see y’all later.

Stella:    Only if the stare down is still going and you want to play. Remember the rules. You lose.

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

A Quiet Visit – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Once again, Lady Human is in violation of her curfew.

Me:        I beg your pardon?

Stella:    Granted.

Me:        I mean, what curfew? I am an adult human, remember. No bulldog-imposed curfews here.

Stella:    You are supposed to come within an hour of church ending unless you let us know that you are going to lunch with humans.

Me:        Do you really keep that close a count on my minutes outside the house?

Stella:    If we don’t, who will? Where did you go after church?

Me:        Well, truthfully, I went to visit my father’s grave.

Stella:    Is grave a trick word that means you went to lunch with the humans?

Me:        No.

Stella:    Then what is a grave?

Me:        It’s where someone’s body is buried after they die.

Stella:    Die? Death happened to your sire?

Me:        Yes, 5 days before Christmas, 43 years ago.

Stella:    That sounds like a long, long time.

Me:        It is a long, long time. And it’s like yesterday.

Stella:    And his body was buried in a grave? Why?

Me:        Because he didn’t need it anymore. He left it and went on.

Stella:    I think I understand. Dogs bury things. We visit them later.

Me:        Humans are…different.

Stella:    So why did you visit your sire’s grave?

Me:        One of my cousins lives far away. She wondered what the place looks like now. She has not visited for a long time. I sent her some pictures.

Stella:    What does it look like?

Me:        A field. Grass. Trees. Sun. Shade. Quiet. And nearby is this very large oak tree.

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Stella:    So, this is how you remember.

Me:        One of the ways.

Stella:    You believe that your father is with the Great Creator.

Me:        Yes.

Stella:    That your father is not where you visited today. Just what he left behind.

Me:        Yes, even so.

Stella:    Please feel free to visit that memory place whenever you wish, Lady Human. May I go with you someday?

Me:        I don’t know if dogs are allowed because, you know, dogs…and grass.

Stella:    I understand. It’s terrible to be the well-behaved one among all the misbehavers.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulldog Elbows – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. I have elbows. The Great Creator gave them to me. Therefore, I will use them.

Me:        Hold on a second!

Stella:    Nope! How can anyone hold onto a second?

Me:        Yes, I don’t appreciate being jabbed, poked, and assaulted by bulldog elbows, thank you very much!

Stella:    Hey, if you are in the way, my elbows are here to get you out of the way. Boom!

Me:        Oh, really! How would you like it if I used MY elbows on you? Boom!

Stella:    Bony human elbows. Hah! Big deal! Watch this!

Me:        Ow! Move over!

Stella:    You invited me back here into your room. I find your hospitality to be lacking.

Me:        Hey, you live inside. You sleep in my room. How is my hospitality lacking? Just keep your sharp elbows to yourself.

Stella:    <poke>

Me:        Ow!

Stella:    Don’t play around with bulldog elbows! Move aside!

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

Food Day – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Today is what our humans call Food Day.

Me:        No, today is what we call Thanksgiving Day.

Stella:    Same thing.

Me:        Not really. Remember this morning when I gave you all your breakfast? Do you remember what I said to each of you?

Stella:    Yes, you said, “Food. Food. Blah. Blah. Blah.”

Me:        No, I said, “Happy Thanksgiving!”

Stella:    Same thing.

Me:        I admit that special food plays a big part in this celebration.

Stella:    Is that why you ate chips and salsa for breakfast?

Me:        I… really, I just…well, the chips and salsa were sitting there.

Stella:    And they jumped into your mouth because they are special food for Food Day, especially in the morning.

Me:        Forget about the chips and salsa thing.

Stella:    It is hard to forget that picture in my mind.

Me:        Back to Thanksgiving Day. It is a special day for giving thanks to God and remembering our blessings.

Stella:    Just today? That is stingy.

Me:        No, not just today. We should give thanks every day. But today is a public celebration. Families. Friends. Special food. Well-wishing.

Stella:    Like those humans who throw money in a hole in the ground.

Me:        No, not at all. This well-wishing is hoping everyone has a happy day. So Happy Thanksgiving, Stella girl.

Stella:    And to you, too, Lady Human. Have a good Food Food Blah Blah Blah Day.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Blame It on the Cat – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Shhhhh! Everybody, no barking or fussing. We have something to cover up. Silent, nose-to-nose communication only.

Me:        Wait! What’s going on?

Stella:    Who says anything is going on?

Me:        Your silent, nose-to-nose communication. Did you think that I wouldn’t notice?

Stella:    Yes. The ways of bulldogs are mysterious. Aren’t they?

Me:        Can you identify the source of the bad gas smell in the den?

Stella:    Bad gas smell? Sounds like a human problem. No issue here among the bulldogs. Right, pack? Pack? Hey, a little backup needed here!

Miss Sweetie:    Silent, nose-to-nose communication only, Aunt Stella. Remember? Cover up.

Stella:    Thank you, Sweetie. Why don’t you go sit over there where you can’t hear?

Me:        So, whose stomach is upset?

Stella:    The cat. Yeah, that’s it. The cat. Have you seen? She uses the bathroom in a box INSIDE THE HOUSE! I thought that was against the rules, except for humans who also use the bathroom INSIDE THE HOUSE! Unfair. Unfair. Unfair…

Me:        I don’t believe that Moon is responsible for the bad gas smell.

Stella:    Of course, she would say that!

Me:        I think maybe you have a little stomach upset.

Stella:    Lady Human, for shame! It’s the cat. It’s just like something she would do.

Me:        How about some pumpkin in your food?

Stella:    Well…I don’t know.

Me:        You like pumpkin, right?

Stella:    Well…maybe a little would be okay.

Me:        There. I don’t think we will be experiencing any more bad gas smell problems in a while.

Stella:    Now if only you would do something about the cat.

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Shouldering Through – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human wants to make another of her useless announcements. I had rather take a nap.

Me:        Why ‘useless’?

Stella:    What part of bulldog don’t you understand?

Me:        I have noted a disturbing trend during the past week.

Stella:    Have you noticed that humans are getting more annoying?

Me:        No. Yes. No. Maybe.

Stella:    That’s the disturbing trend I have noticed.

Me:        I have noticed that the bulldogs, including you, oh Queen, have been rushing the doors to push through ahead of me with the result that you all are banging your shoulders into my legs and into the door. You won’t even let me get the door open before you slam your shoulders into it. And you know what that means?

Stella:    It means that you are not opening the doors quickly enough. Hurry up from now on. End of trend.

Me:        It means a traffic jam, and no one gets through until somebody backs up.

Stella:    And that somebody is you.

Me:        How about a little less rush? How about taking turns?

Stella:    Yes, I agree, Lady Human, that is exactly what you should do.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Urgent Alert! There is a Cat in the House! – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. This is an urgent alert! Ring the alarm bells! All eyes open! There is a cat in the house!

Me:        Of course, there is a cat in the house. Our cat, Moon, is in the house.

Stella:    No, this is a different cat! Everybody, be on the lookout!

Me:        Stella, I guarantee that there is no strange cat in the house. I took Moon to the vet. She’s a little tired, that’s all.

Stella:    Nope, Moon never leaves the house.

Me:        She does when she goes to the vet.

Stella:    And Moon prisses around all over, flaunting her cattiness in our faces. This strange cat seems sweet and quiet. Not like a scratcher at all.

Me:        She got a vaccination. She doesn’t like her cat carrier or riding in the car. She complained to me the whole way there and the whole way back.

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Stella:    That shows how dumb cats are. Who in their right mind doesn’t like riding in a car? That doesn’t sound like our Moon. She is too smart to disdain a car ride.

Me:        Let her have a good nap and she will be back to her usual self.

Stella:    There she is! Charge! Ouch! Hey, it is Moon!

Me:        I guess she didn’t need that nap after all.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Floor Licker – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. My manners are fastidious. That’s what Lady Human says. I don’t know what fastidious means, but it sounds great! Just like me. I am fastidious.

Me:        Well, you don’t lick the floor.

Stella:    So not fastidious people lick the floor?

Me:        No, but non-fastidious dogs do.

Stella:    Oh, like you-know-who. And the other you-know-who. And the other you-know…

Me:        Like every bulldog I know, except for you.

Stella:    They are simply not fastidious like me.

Me:        I understand licking a spot where food has fallen, but Wiggles, for example, licks random spots that have no rational relationship with food.

Stella:    How do you know?

Me:        I know because no food has fallen in those spots.

Stella:    How do you know?

Me:        I can look at the floor and see.

Stella:    Pffft! It’s not what a floor looks like that counts. Humans are so silly. Smell, Lady Human. Millions of nasal receptors, Lady Human. The floor smells like…what is one of those places that sells lots of food all at once?

Me:        A smorgasbord?

Stella:    What? No!

Me:        A buffet?

Stella:    Mmmm. No.

Me:        A grocery store?

Stella:    That’s it! But please introduce me to those other food places I’ve never heard of when you get a chance. What other secrets are you withholding from me?

Me:        I can’t begin to explain.

Stella:    Well, well, so hidden smelly spots on the floor are not the only mysteries here.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

Get the Dog Smell Out – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human is washing big pieces of cloth in her big, noisy machine. It is annoying. I wish it would stop. Dare I ask?

Me:        Nope.

Stella:   Please.

Me:        Nope. Has to be done.

Stella:    But why? It just goes on and on and on and on…

Me:        I have to wash all this stuff to get the dog smell out.

Stella:    Dog smell? Like what I smell or what I smell like?

Me:        What you all smell like.

Stella:    Are you saying that I stink? Are you saying that you don’t like the way I smell? Awwww. My smell is me. If you don’t like my smell, you don’t like me. Awwwww.

Me:        Not the same.

Stella:    Yes, the same. How can I separate me from what I smell like?

Me:        I could give you a few more baths.

Stella:    Some other way.

Me:        I can do what I’m doing right now. Wash everything. Now that you and Snoopey are both sleeping in my room, I have to wash your bedding…and mine pretty often. When I walk into my room, I want it smell more like me than like you.

Stella:    Wrong choice.

 

 

 

 

Copyright  2017 H. J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Why Aren’t You Like the Humans on TV? – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, QUESTION!

Me:        No need to yell.

Stella:    I am not yelling. I simply have a big mouth. Get used to it. Why don’t you act like the humans on that Picture Box you call TV?

Me:        For one thing, those are mostly actors and actresses. And advertising people who are selling stuff. And politicians. And news reporters.

Stella:    Okay, so everybody is putting on a show. Got it. Why can’t you act more like them?

Me:        You like what you see in humans on TV?

Stella:    They smile a lot.

Me:        You want me to smile more. Like this?

Stella:    Ew, no! Stop smiling!

Me:        Aw, you don’t like my smile.

Stella:    It looks phony. I want you to smile like those TV people.

Me:        And you think their smiles are less phony than mine. Okay. What else do the TV humans do that I don’t?

Stella:    They tell jokes all the time and lots of invisible people laugh.

Me:        Those invisible people are either a studio audience or taped laughter.

Stella:    Yes. Exactly. That’s how our house should be. Lots of laughing all the time. Bulldogs are hilarious. You should be hilarious, too.

Me:        That might be too much hilarity.

Stella:    No. Just be funny and get some of those invisible people in here to laugh.

Me:        What else?

Stella:    We can turn the humans on TV off any time we want to.

Me:        So, you want me to…

Stella:    Turn yourself off from time to time.

Me:        Oh, thanks.

Stella:    You have been staying up later and later which means that we have been staying up later and later. Turn off the Picture Box, the big one and the little one you carry around, and turn yourself off. Go to bed so I can turn myself off and go to bed. Then you will be a true TV human. You push that button and turn them off so they all go to sleep.

Me:        Actually, pushing that button just turns the TV off. The people aren’t affected.

Stella:    You mean they keep on moving around inside that dark box, stumbling into each other, and are never allowed to sleep? NO!

Me:        Don’t freak out, Stella! That is not what happens. The TV people are not in the Picture Box, ever.

Stella:    Are you sure? Maybe we should open it up and see.

Me:        Trust me.

Stella:    Like we trust the people on TV? Sure thing.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

Don’t Step on the Other Dancers – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Bulldogs are dancers. Tap dancers, mostly. But we also do ballet.

Me:        Really? I have trouble picturing that. I’ve seen y’all dance, but never ballet.

Stella:    Just watch me.

Me:        Sticking your hind leg out behind you and shaking it does not quite qualify as ballet dancing.

Stella:    My interpretation of it.

Me:        Okay. If you say so.

Stella:    But I have one rule when dancing, a rule that Wiggles violated.

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Me:        Well, Wiggles is taking a nap now so…

Stella:    The rule, you ask?

Me:        I didn’t really ask.

Stella:    The rule is ‘Don’t step on the other dancers!’

Me:        Sounds like a good rule.

Stella:    All my rules are good rules.

Me:        Okay. If you say so.

Stella:    I do. I saw you trying to dance and Wiggles started her comma dance and stomped on your feet.

Me:        You saw me dancing.

Stella:    I saw you trying. Don’t worry. You just keep on trying. I won’t tell anybody. You could sign up for lessons with me if you’d like.

Me:        Sign up? You teach dance lessons? Since when?

Stella:    Since I saw you trying to dance. Bottom line, as the humans say, don’t step on the other dancers. Rule #1. Rule #2 – Always pay your dance teacher on time. I accept treats at 9 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., and midnight.

Me:        Midnight? I’m not staying up until…

Stella:    All right. Midnight is negotiable. Oh, and remember something else. Don’t dance with Wiggles. She is a foot stomper. And a prima donna.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Freak Zone! What is Going On Here? – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. I am in the Freak Zone. That is like the human Picture Box show “Twilight Zone”, but different, because this is real because it is going on right here, right now!

Me:        I’m sitting right here, too, and I don’t see any freak zones.

Stella:    There is a voice coming out of that little box you carry everywhere.

Me:        My phone? Sure. That’s what a phone does among other things.

Stella:    No. You are not talking to Tall Man. I know his voice. There is a woman in your phone box. She is talking. I can see her. She said your name. AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!

Me:        She is not IN my phone. She is on my phone.

Stella:    She is trapped inside the little box! They shrunk her! She is trapped! Help her, Lady Human! Help her get free!

Me:        Stella, it is all right. She is broadcasting live on Facebook.

Stella:    Her face is in a book, talking to you? NOOOO!!!

Me:        She is not in the box. She is in another city and she is filming herself with a camera.

Stella:    What does that even mean? City? Filming? Camera? I can see her tiny little self in your box! What kind of place is this?

Me:        Maybe you should look at something else if this freaks you out.

Stella:    Why does this NOT freak you out?

Me:        Because I understand what is going on. Nothing is wrong. I’m sorry that it bothered you. This is just normal for humans now.

Stella:    As I suspected, humans live in the Freak Zone.

Me:        Yeah, sometimes.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

The Big, Big Sky – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. Lady Human, why are you staring out the window?

Me:        I’m looking at the sky.

Stella:    Why are you looking at the sky and not at me?

Me:        The sky is so big. It reminds me how small we are. We need to be reminded of that.

Stella:    Lady Human, are you sad? You don’t feel to me the same as when we laugh together.

Me:        Yes, Stella, I am sad tonight. And I was sad last week, but I think I hid it better.

Stella:    I knew. I didn’t say anything because you didn’t seem to want to talk about it. Are you sad about a human thing?

Me:        Yes. Do you remember when I told you all this morning after breakfast that I was going to church, and that I would see you later?

Stella:    Yes. You say that every week. I don’t know why. I figure church is like the grocery store, someplace you have to go once in a while.

Me:        Well, some of our neighbors here in Texas went to their church this morning and they didn’t come home.

Stella:    Oh. Oh. OH!

Me:        Calm down, Stella girl. Everything will be all right. It doesn’t seem like it, but it will be. This morning at my church, I opened my Bible…

Stella:    That book that smells good like leather.

Me:        Yes. It has very important things in it and it fell open to the 23rd chapter of Jeremiah. The last part of the 24th verse caught my eye. It says, “Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.”

Stella:    Is that the Great Creator? Is that His book?

Me:        Yes. I believe that with all my heart.

Stella:    I wish I could read.

Me:        Oh, you do, Stella. You all do in your way.

Stella:    And you are looking at the big, big sky because He fills that sky.

Me:        Yes.

Stella:    You feel better now. I sense it.

Me:        Yes, some.

Stella:    I feel better, too, Lady Human. Looking at the Great Creator’s big, big sky with you makes me feel better.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H. J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

Bathroom Maneuvers – Conversations with Stella and Doodlebug

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges, and as queen, it is my duty to inform Lady Human of bulldog misbehavior, unless it is my own. Lady Human, I regret to tell you, but Doodlebug has pulled a Miss Sweetie bathroom trick.

Me:        What? What’s going on? You don’t mean…

Stella:    Yes. No. Maybe. If you are thinking that Doodlebug built his own toilet by stacking his food bowl on his water bowl at a convenient angle, no. He’s not that skilled. Sweetie is a way better…what do humans call it?

Me:        Engineer.

Stella:    Okay. If you say so. Anyway, if you were thinking that Doodlebug aimed at his empty food bowl and peed, then you would be right.

Me:        Doodlebug, why?

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Doodlebug:        Mmmmm. I dunno.

Me:        How come you didn’t let me know you needed to go out?  I just went outside for a minute to throw the trash away. Couldn’t you have waited?

Doodlebug:        No.

Me:        Why not? Are you all right?

Doodlebug:        Yep.

Me:        Do you have a problem?

Doodlebug:        Nope.

Me:        Then why did you pee in your food bowl?

Doodlebug:        I do what I want. I do what I want.

Me:        Oh, no, you don’t do what you want, boy. Nobody gets to do whatever they want. Nobody.

Stella:    Humans do.

Me:        No, humans do not.

Stella:    Ridiculous.

Me:        Humans have rules, standards, guidance that we must live by. They are given to us by the Great Creator, so that we will live and live well. And one of our rules is that we do not pee in our food bowls.

Stella:    Doodlebug did.

Doodlebug:        I do what I want. I do what…

Me:        No, Doodlebug, no. You are getting too old to be acting out like that. Let me know when you need an extra trip outside and you’ll have it. No more peeing in the house!

Doodlebug:        What about in my crate?

Me:        No!

Doodlebug:        What about in my water bowl?

Me:        No!

Doodlebug:        What about in Aunt Stella’s water bowl?

Stella:    NO!

Me:     So bulldogs DO have rules.

Stella:     When it comes to my stuff, this bulldog does.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

 

 

Bulldog Menu – Conversations with Stella and Snoopey

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. It is time to order supper. Lady Human, I will have the salmon with potato.

Snoopey:   And I will have the lamb and rice. Sweetie is sleeping, so I will order the lamb for her, too. And give it to Tiger. She hates lamb. Ordering for others is great!

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Me:        Hold your horses there, partners.

Stella:    Are there horses here, too? Are they having supper with us? Cool.

Me:        No, it’s an old expression. It’s a friendly way of saying, “Stop!”

Stella:    Will it hold up our meal? This is a terrible restaurant.

Me:        We’ve talked about that before, Stella. This is not a restaurant. This is our home.

Stella:    A nice home. And a terrible restaurant. Very limited menu.

Snoopey:   The service lacks much to be desired.

Stella:    Well, Lady Human, you have our order. The others can put theirs in later. When does the kitchen close?

Me:        We don’t have a menu, Stella, and the kitchen is already closed. We have your regular food, not the salmon or the lamb right now. The store was out. I will have to buy more when they get a new shipment.

Stella:    You don’t make our food? You have someone else make it? You mean we’ve been eating take-out? Snoopey, rate this restaurant as negative 4 stars, whatever that means. Humans seem to care a lot about stars and check marks and sticking their thumbs up in the air.

Snoopey:   Yes, I saw a man doing that on the side of the road. Very popular.

Me:        You’ve seen me carry the big bags of food in. Did you really think that I was fixing it outside and then bringing it into the house in sacks?

Stella:    There is no telling what you do outside and bring into the house, Lady Human. I am afraid to even guess.

 

 

Copyright 2017 H. J. Hill All Rights Reserved.

Fair Distribution – Conversations with Stella

I am Stella, Queen of the Olde English Bulldogges. I am here to represent all the bulldogs in treat distribution matters, but especially me.

Me:        So, this is about you.

Stella:    Of course. I saw you give Doodlebug a treat.

Me:        Doodlebug and I are in training on some of his behavioral issues. The treats reinforce the lessons when he is successful.

Stella:    I am well-behaved all the time. Where is my treat reinforcement? Me, too! Me, too! Me, too!

Me:        You just had a treat.

Stella:    That was years ago.

Me:        That was 30 seconds ago.

Stella:    Seems longer. How long is 30 seconds?

Me:        Shall I count from one to thirty to show you?

Stella:    No, please. The less human talking, the better. Now about this fair treat distribution problem…

Me:        I didn’t know that we had a problem.

Stella:    Here I am. Working hard. Sitting around. Only getting a treat every 30 seconds or so while Doodlebug is getting rewarded for messing around and breaking the rules.

Me:        He gets rewarded when he does something right.

Stella:    How often is that?

Me:        Well, honestly…

Stella:    Not every 30 seconds, is it?

 

 

Copyright 2017 H.J. Hill All Rights Reserved.