Human and Dog Eat Together in the Morning
My niece, Molly, says that my corgi, Arthur, is a social eater. “When the human meals come, Arthur wants to join in too,” she says. She’s right. When we eat, he eats. I get up at 2 am. So does Arthur. Both Arthur and I start our day with Cheerios. I pour the bowls. He gets less. I get bananas. He doesn’t like them.
I first came upon the idea of Cheerios for dogs from my friend, Sue Carter, of Hudson, Ohio. On Facebook, she said, “Try them as incentive-treats. Dogs love them. They are healthy, too.” Sue was right. Women in my life are almost always right.
Arthur learned how to sit and “drop it” with Cheerios. He loved them. One thing led to another and soon he was getting a small breakfast-scoop of them in his dog bowl.
He also loved the peanut butter. Another trick. This time from a female trainer. Slather peanut putter on a wooden spoon and carry it at your side. The puppy will follow you anywhere. Perhaps the PB is little off topic, but these pictures of him with his first taste of PB are too cute not to share.
His First Taste
I eat for energy and nutrients and sometimes, it needs to be quick, and Gluten-free. For me, Cheerios gives me a boost that lasts through the morning (unlike steel-cut oatmeal where I am deflated within the hour . . . and hungry too).
For a dog, who should have animal protein, Cheerios provide necessary energy . They are an easy, healthy snack. Some dog owners are known to use Cheerios as treats for their overweight dogs. I know from experience that Arthur likes the crunch and the size of the Cheerios.
Recently, Arthur sauntered off with me on a 100,000 step challenge in one day. You can bet we started our challenge day with Cheerios. But he has little legs and had to be scooped up half way through the challenge.
But by 8 o’clock that night, I had made my goal of 100,000 steps. As far as I know, I am the first sixty six -year-old guy to record the 100,000 steps (other guys may have done that too at my age but none have recorded it). Coincidentally, on the walk, we raised money for a diabetes-alert dog for our eight-year-old friend, Andrei.
The 100,000 step Challenge
Interestingly, both Cheerios and Peanut Butter, play a role in the novel that my friend, Steven James Taylor and I wrote, the dog. It will be coming out this fall through Rabbit Publishers. Just like me, the young protagonist, Theo, Snow, twelve years old, trains his dog to mind with Cheerios, and to walk with him by swabbing peanut butter on a wooden spoon. For a free, watermarked download of the novel, click here.
Cheerios has an age old charm. the dog takes place in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1941, the cereal was called Cheerioats. In 1945, the name was changed to Cheerios.
Cheerios might not be for every man, woman and beast, but when you face an empty farm house before sunrise, these days, it’s nice to start the day with your dog and a bowl of Cheerios. Separate bowls, that is. Then you both can enjoy a nice early walk.
There’s one added bonus about Cheerios. Just like kids and refrigerator boxes, Arthur likes to play around with the empty box, before it goes into the recycling can.
As for an empty bowl, he just gives you the sad look. We all know the sad look.
