How to please your dog

Bake cookies, lots of cookies.  Today I woke up in the mood to cook.  I really enjoy cooking and I love it when I can spend a whole day making favorite recipes.  I have never made dog cookies before, but I brought both the recipes for dog cookies and the cookie cutters with me when we moved into the trailer. There's something about baking cookies that comforts me, possibly the delicious aroma that fills the air.  No time like the present to try a new recipe. 

I was a little apprehensive about this recipe, though, because these are rolled cookies.  I bake first-rate cookies, the kind of cookies that make other cookies jealous, but I have never had much luck with rolled cookies.  This recipe, however, was remarkably easy -- and I already knew that my dogs have pretty low standards when it comes to food.  

I mixed up a batch of peanut butter dog biscuits, then wrapped and refrigerated the dough.  After procuring a rolling pin from my mother -- I had four rolling pins in my other life, how did I not bring one? -- we were ready to rock and roll.  Fifteen minutes in the oven and the trailer smelled wonderful. I was pleased with the end product; the cookies looked great.  I let them cool, and then it was time for the taste test.  Will the pups like them?  

There are dog-house shaped cookies, bones and hydrants, dog paws, and small round piles... use your imagination.  I broke one dog bone into thirds and offered a piece to each dog.  Their reaction was priceless.  Being dogs, they immediately lined up for seconds.  No, really, they lined up.  These dogs are hilarious!  I told the pups they had to wait until later to have a second cookie and began putting them away.  

Bella, the ring leader, stood up on her hind legs and begged.  I rolled my eyes.  Yeah, right.  I've seen that trick about a million times.  You'll have to do better than that.  I looked her in the eye and said, Sorry, Bells, no more cookies.  She then sat down and said, Puh-leeeeez! 

Some time ago, Bella started rubbing her paw over the end of her nose while ducking her head in a flirty way.  It's about the cutest thing I've ever seen.  I think my dog gurus would say I captured the behavior using the word, Please.  We've been practicing this new trick for months, and she knows exactly how to do it, although she seldom performs on command.  But today, for a cookie, she sat down and said, Please.  

I've been working with Annie on a "sit" command for nearly three years.  She obeys about half the time.  When she saw Bella performing "please," she immediately sat down.  D.O.G., seeing the girls displaying such grandiose behavior, was not to be outdone.  He broke into his happy dance.  What's a happy dance?   He bounces up and down with all four paws leaving the ground at the same time.  Reminds me of Tigger.  

Who can resist such delightful doggies?  They were all rewarded with an extra cookie.