The Owner’s Side

There’s a rhythm to life with a dog, routines that become second nature after a while. The gentle pulling at your sleeve near bedtime, the eager, expectant eyes as breakfast is prepared (or any meal, for that matter), and the pure, ecstatic joy at hearing the jingling of a leash. Simple, day-to-day things, really. But when your dog decides one day, out of the blue, that their most loved tricks aren’t worth performing anymore, it hits you out of nowhere.

I mean, what’s a guy to do when “lay down and roll over” no longer earns that puppy grin, but a nonchalant blink instead? And when “sit” and “shake” are met with lazy yawns, it’s, well, soul-crushing. It feels like being a chef and watching diners pick at your food, unimpressed.

So there I was, trying every trick in the book (literally), failing spectacularly, and feeling as dejected as ever. And what did Max do? He simply flopped onto his side, sighed audibly like a little drama king, and turned his back to me. Ouch. Nothing makes you question your abilities more than the blank, faintly accusing stare of a dog who’s decided your party tricks aren’t worth his time.

Max’s Commentary

It was just another day. Or so I thought.

Phase one of Operation Get-Treats: WAIT. Bob’s been acting weird lately. Lots of hand waving. Strange words. I’VE BEEN PATIENT. I’ve WAITED.

Ah, phase two, the magic words: “Max, sit.” SWEET. Treat time. But NO TREATS. Okay, he must’ve forgotten. That’s fine. OLD PEOPLE FORGET STUFF. It’s okay.

But then comes “roll over”. THAT’S MY MONEY MOVE. I do the roll, and the treats FALL FROM THE SKY. But this time, NOTHING. He doesn’t even look impressed. And I NAILED that roll. Pixel perfection. FLAWLESS EXECUTION. This isn’t right. THIS ISN’T RIGHT.

Phase three: PANIC. I refuse to shake that hand. NO WAY. I’m not that kind of dog. THE KIND OF DOG WHO SHAKES HANDS FOR NO TREATS.

How Peace Was Restored

I loved Max, but this was getting ridiculous. With every failed trick, the guilt grew and grew until I couldn’t ignore it anymore. Finally, standing there with a fallen face, the leash limp in my hand and Max casually ignoring me, I knew what had to be done.

“I don’t know what’s happened to our special thing, Max,” I said, pulling out my phone to call The Hungry Puppy. Because if there was ever a time for gourmet biscotti, this was it.

Prompt service, as always. I unwrapped the bag in front of Max, the rich aroma of the Primal dog treats filling the room. The reaction was instant. Just like that, Max’s apathy was gone, replaced with a joyous, tail-wagging frenzy that would have felt too chaotic if it wasn’t so heart-melting.

He tilted his head, whimpering. I let him sniff the biscotti. His tail wagged and his excitement was contagious. I held out my hand. “Shake?” In a heartbeat, his paw was in my hand. My heart melted. We had found our rhythm again.

Crisis averted. Treats upgraded. Dog no longer hates me (at least till these treats run out).

Restore the love in your pet’s eyes with gourmet treats from The Hungry Puppy. Because sometimes, manic hand-waving and dated tricks just don’t do it. See what we have to offer at thehungrypuppy.com and treat your furry friend with the high-grade biscuits they deserve!

• 🦴 Premium treats — for when regular treats no longer cut it
• 🏪 In-store shopping — Bring your pup for the full experience
• 💚 Lots of love — We get it. We’re dog people too.