Bone Scan: Shop Dogs and the Need for New Bones

One of the benefits of being a shop dog in a dog store is obvious; if you want it you can probably have it. Thankfully, Millie and Olive are polite, as they refrain from helping themselves to our merch. The toys are of interest, but they really covet the bones. Millie will sit near a display and grumble-whine, glancing at the bones and then staring very pointedly at me. Olive takes a more direct approach, licking at the plastic wrapped-bones with her eyes at half mast.

In an effort to keep them constructively occupied (a theme in my world), I’ll give in and offer them one of our many bone options. Bully sticks, trachea, Achilles tendon, marrow bones, saddle knuckles, hooves ... the list of choices is impressive. Unfortunately, the ladies have gotten jaded, so sometimes when I offer a bone they’ll turn up their noses as if to say, “Ugh, I’m so over bully sticks. Got anything else?”

Once I find a bone that they deem worthy I usually have a good hour of peace while they chew. Then they decide, almost as a unit, that the bone of the moment is now yesterday’s news.

“Over it. What’s next?”

Unfortunately, the ladies know that they have options. (Options that are mere inches away from their faces.) Because of their insatiable need for chew novelty, I’m left with a graveyard’s worth of discarded but perfectly good bonie maronies. I’ve tried reintroducing old bones that they haven’t seen in a while but it never works. Old bones is old bones.

Their habit isn’t all bad - many of their cast-off bones become floor models, which allow our dog shoppers to try before they buy. On rare occasions, when they’re super bored, Millie or Olive will wander to a floor model bone and give it a sniff. One lick later and they’re back to asking me for something new.

Shop dogs, or shop divas?