Hank's arrival in our household has precipitated an increase in the purchase, distribution, and consumption of rawhide bones after I caught him gnawing on the heels of a pair of my high heeled shoes (although at $15 a bag rawhide is not much cheaper than shoes...) The acquisition of a rawhide chew is about the only thing that can fundamentally alter the personalities of our canines. Red Rocket is a hider: he immediately takes his bone and retreats to the basement stairwell landing where he is relatively undisturbed. Rachsie is a stealer: she stalks both Hank and Red Rocket waiting for any opportunity to snatch their bones which she assumes must be better tasting than the one she was given. Hank is a barker: pretty much the only time he ever barks is when Rachsie steals his bone and then, instead of snatching it back or stealing hers he barks and barks until I intervene and confiscate the slimy piece of cow hide and return it to him. And then there is Maggie: the hoarder and hider. She intently waits, sometimes for hours, until the other dogs have become distracted and left their bones unattended, whereupon she quietly takes the bones and buries them in the furniture cushions. She pushes the bones under pillows or fabrics by sliding her nose snowplow fashion. Her diligence at this task frequently results in the development of a raw pink skinned spot on the top of her muzzle.
There will never be enough rawhide chews either! I don't know whose technique is most successful, but perhaps they all come together in the end. Slimy rawhide kisses to all!
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