I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday. ~Author unknown
Monkey here.
It’s a challenge when you’ve got a sneaky Mama.
I think she stays up late at night, trying to outsmart me. And you know, sometimes she succeeds — but don’t tell her that.
She’d be impossible to live with.
Take this Easter holiday, for example.
A week or so ago, she took some of my kibbles and hid them around the house. She said she was trying to “warm me up” for our annual Egg Hunt.
“Warming” was a pretty good idea, considering it’s been so cold. But I’m just a little Monkey, and I had no idea what an “annual egg hunt” was supposed to be.
Still, it sounded like food might be involved, and I’m pretty stoked by food, so I played along.
At first, I didn’t get the hang of it. But Mama called out “Warm” when I got close to the treat and “Cold” when I raced in the other direction.
Hmm, okay.
And she kept reminding me to use my nose.
Eventually, my tummy was happy because I found the treats.
Mama was happy, too — because I wasn’t aggravating her and was expending some of my boundless energy, heh heh!
Then came Easter Sunday. When Mama got back from some place called “church,” she announced it was Egg Hunt time.
But then she hid my treats inside plastic eggs.
Sneaky, I tell you.
Seriously, Mama? You’re hiding them in the middle of my fetching balls?
Well, I raced around and around, checking the doors and hoping I could peek where she was hiding them, but Mama refused until she was ready.
Sneaky.
Doggone it, I’m just a little Monkey. Hiding treats in plain sight is one thing; tucking them inside plastic eggs is sneaky.
All I smelled was plastic, and trust me, it’s not a yummy scent.
But Mama persevered with her encouragement, and after I’d found all my treats, the hunt was over.
Is this one, Mama? All I smell is plastic, moss, and basket.
I guess it was fun.
Maybe I’ll enjoy it more when I’m a bigger Monkey … and she hides something good instead of kibble. Huh.
What do you think?
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
I’m on your side. Knowing that you rely on your keen nose, tracking down plastic seems pretty boring …. but at least you amused her. Well done.
Oh, Mr. Frank, I Monkey am quite amusing. I love to hear Mama laugh, and it’s great when I can make her do it. I’ll suggest Mama wash those plastic eggs to get the stink out before she does another Egg Hunt.
HA! Yes, sneaky indeed, Monkey! But even though Mama hid them inside plastic eggs, you FOUND them. And that’s because dogs have a keen sense of smell, so you were still able to find your treats. BRAVO!!!!
FUN post, Sir Monkey! I seriously think you should start your own blog entitled: “Monkey Matters.”
Wishing you and Mama a terrific week! X
My very own blog, Mr. Ron? I Monkey have to give that some thought. It could work, but I don’t know if Mama is willing to share her computer. Maybe she could buy me a new one?!?
Thanks for your noticing that I DID find the treats, regardless of that plastic. We doggies have great smellers, ha! Licky-kisses for a good week ahead! xx
I had no idea doggies could play in an Easter egg hunt! You taught me something today, Monkey!
Miss Kathy, I Monkey am happy to be of service. Yes, we dogs are pretty good hunters, despite Sneaky Mamas putting the good stuff inside yucky old plastic!
Oh, fun! Here’s hoping that next Easter you’ll find at least one egg that has something a little more exciting than a kibble inside.
Oh, Miss Laurie, I Monkey hope so, too. The problem is my sensitive stomach. If I don’t adhere to Mama’s strict diet (given to her by my dog-tur), I end up with vomiting and diarrhea. And you can imagine how nasty that stuff is with all my pretty furs!!
Poor Monkey!
I think it was an egg-cellent idea! It’s kinda like scentwork, a sport Katie loved! You might like it too, little Dude!
Thank you, Miss Dawn. Mama says I’d be very good at scentwork because I’ve got a great nose. Of course, the plastic kind of confused me. Maybe next time she can hide a better quality treat — something with a strong smell that will overpower the plastic.
Your sneaky Mama is giving you some mental stimulation. At the zoo they call such challenges “animal enrichment.” I have to agree with you, though, Monkey, plastic smells terrible!
You, too, Miss Barbara? Well, I’ll have to tell Mama that I’m not the only one who doesn’t like “eau de plastic”!! I’m impressed that zoos are working to enrich the inmates’ experiences, too — much better than letting them sleep all day in the sun!
I bet you’ll enjoy it more once you get the hang of it. It sounds like your mama is trying to sneak in some fun and activity. 🙂
Oh, Miss Robin, I do hope so! Mama said she never even tried a Dog Egg Hunt with her former Sheltie until he was middle-aged and here I am, barely out of puppyhood! I agree that Mama is trying to keep me entertained — she says that’s a constant challenge, hee hee.
Sounds like a loving thing to do for a puppy. I’m sure she had fun too.
Thank you, Mr. John. My Sneaky Mama means well, but my sensitive stomach perplexes her. She’s always complaining about how hard it is to train a dog when you can’t give him treats. For my part, it’s not fun having bowel issues either.
Have you had a teaspoon of canned pumpkin once a day. It keeps Lucy and Twiggy’s stomach in fine shape.
YES!! That’s what my dogtur recommended, Mr. John — pure, canned pumpkin. That, and probiotics every day. Seems to be working, thank goodness!
Excellent.
Well, Monkey, I think you did very well to find them all when your Mama had hidden them in stinky plastic! Next year you should hide all her Easter chocolate and make her run about finding them while YOU laugh at HER! But don’t tell her I told you to do that…
Oooh, that’s a sneaky thing to suggest, Miss FF! But I Monkey love the idea, and I won’t tell her I got it from you. Bet her nose isn’t as good as mine — and we’d probably be finding Easter candy at Christmas time, hee hee!
At least she’s not making you ‘sing for your supper,’ Monkey! 😀
Oh, but I could do that, Miss Eliza — and do it quite well. All she’d have to do would be to bring that flute-thing of hers out of its case and blow a few notes. Then I throw back my head and howl like my wolf ancestors!!
We need a video of that! 😀
Those plastic eggs have their place, especially since they can hold every sort of delight — but they do make getting to those treats a little more difficult. Good for you for persevering!
Thank you, Miss Linda. I understand my predecessor Sir Dallas was able to bust into the plastic and remove the treats, but I’m just a little Monkey and can’t. Wait … Sneaky Mama bought NEW eggs because the old ones were icky, so no wonder I was having trouble. See? I told you she was sneaky!
Miss Dixie Rose used to have little balls that could hold treats. They had holes in them, so if she rolled them around long enough, the treats would fall out. You might suggest that to your mama.
Yes, ma’am, she’s got some of those, and I’m pretty good at fishing out the yummies. Thanks for the reminder — I’ll have to nudge the Sneaky One, and get her to hand them over. Now that Easter is over and all.
You did great, Monkey!! My parents gave me a basket filled with plastic eggs, and seemed disappointed when I didn’t realize they had dog biscuits inside them. Don’t they realize that plastic can hide the scent of food? But they mean well, and that’s all that matters in the end. Love, Finn
Aw, Finn, thanks so much for making me feel better! If you as a grownup dog had trouble with the plastic, what was my mama thinking by hiding my treats in there, seeing as how I’m just a little Monkey?? Still, I guess you’re right: they do mean well. Hope you enjoyed your biscuits!