Toto has had a job for a while. He collects the 'horse buckets' that Linda uses to feed the two horses on her acreage. He is paid well for the job. One whole lamb bone cookie for each bucket. Now, Toto is a large dog, probably close to giant in height but closer to 75lbs in weight, so that means that two bones is good pay and well within his treat allowance.
One day LInda was running low on dog cookies. She was feeling under the weather and wasn't feeling keen on making the trip to Costco to resupply. So she snapped the bones in two,
For a short time Toto was paid in half bones. He is a nice boy and took this pay cut in his stride but was obviously keeping a tally.
Linda's neighbour took it upon herself to pick up a box of cookies and drop it off. This was met with joy by Toto. He had never actually witnessed the arrival of his favorite food, but now he made note of the box and how it came to his home. .
So order was restored and payment was made for services rendered.
The first night after the box of treats arrived he brought in the two horse buckets and recieved his bones. However shortly after his job was done he disappeared for a few minutes and came trotting back with the neighbour's horse bucket in his mouth and waited for payment.
So, now what happened?
Did Toto discover a monitary system? Apparently
Was he trying to make up for a deficit in whole dog bones? Yes.
Did he create a new job opportunity for himself. Yeah
Dogs generally manipulate their humans with their soft brown eyes and sweet expressions until the human becomes the tool that will open the cupboard and hand them a treat.
But this is a step further, Toto is not inventing a tool to open the cupboard but he invented a system of money to pay for his treat.
I think this is cool.
Don't you?
