Grandma Was About to Flip the Pancakes. Rufus Was Sitting With Perfect Manners.
Two golden pancakes sizzle in a black skillet, and Grandma has the spatula ready for the perfect flip. She smiles down at the pan in her green cardigan while Grandpa, in a blue plaid shirt, leans over to admire her technique. On the counter sit a bowl of batter with a whisk, a dish of butter, a few blueberries and a salt shaker. Down on the tile floor, Rufus sits with excellent manners, gazing up at the stove with longing, his chin raised just enough to catch every buttery whiff drifting down.
That polite, hopeful sit is a habit worth encouraging, and it is easier to keep than a dog who jumps at the counter. Rewarding a dog for waiting calmly on a mat away from the stove keeps paws safe from hot pans and spills. As for sharing, a small bite of plain cooked pancake is unlikely to harm most dogs, but syrup, butter and toppings add sugar and fat they do not need, and some ingredients, like chocolate chips or anything sweetened with xylitol, are dangerous. Blueberries, on the other hand, are generally considered a safe, healthy treat for dogs in small amounts.
Rufus knows the rules, and he is sticking to them with impressive patience. Whether that patience pays off with a blueberry or two is up to the chef.
