I think my dog is just humoring me. But it's only because I was just humoring her first. Let me beg your pardon right now, as yes I am actually going to expand on this subject. Also, please note that while adult beverages were consumed by yours truly over the weekend, I am not currently under any behavior affecting influence. Stone sober. Yeah, I know.
The past couple of summers Nikki has on occasion brought to me from my half wilderness, half back yard, rabbits she has killed. I guess this is to be for dinner. Not knowing a lot of fresh rabbit recipes, I tell her to drop it and come inside for a "treat". She comes in like a conquering hero and gets petted and treats etc. Not so much because I appreciate the rabbit carcus on my back porch mind you, but because that is her natural instinct and even moreso, as I am the "alpha dog" in her world it is out of respect that she brings it to me to have. So she is doing what she as a dog is supposed to. I want to make sure she is rewarded for that. Then I sneak around the house and scoop up the poor rabbit and heave it over the fence back into the woods. At dinner I give her a bite or two of whatever I am eating as if "hey have a bite of that juicy rabbit you killed!"
This year I've not had a single rabbit brought to me by Nikki. And trust me it's not because the rabbits aren't there at all. The other day I was mowing and a rabbit just sat there and looked at me. They are getting bold even. Yet, in the mornings when we go for our daily walk, if Nik sees a rabbit in a yard we pass (and we often do) she nearly pulls my arm out of socket.
But this weekend I saw something. A huge rabbit, so big they may want to study to see if it's the missing link between the modern rabbit and it's neanderthal ancestors, was strutting through the yard while Nikki was out there at the same time as I peered out. Expecting a "World's Most Exciting Animal Chases" type moment I settled in for the event. However, Nik sort of glances over at the rabbit, and then merely saunters over to the other side of the yard.
I have now formed the theory that she for a while now merely humors me with all the rabid rabbit (hard to distinguish those words unless you really spit out that "T") activity because I made such a todo over her catching them and that's it's a big deal to me. I think she learned at some point, as we humans have, why waste your energy when you can just get your food from the grocery store? Because she is a smart girl, of course.
Alright so I spend an inordinate amount time concerned with my dog's psychological makeup. At least it keeps me off the streets.