Chase the Kibble

by Chuck Cherry
(Springfield, IL, USA)

Our mini's name is Schatzie, which means something like "little treasure" in German, and she really is our little treasure.

I couldn't believe how smart she was! When we brought her home as a little puppy, my wife said "No dogs in the bedroom!" So the first thing Schatzie learned was that the bedroom is off limits. She follows me all around the house, but when I walk into the bedroom, she stops right at the threshold and won't come in. She has known this since her first week at home.

Schatzie is now 5 1/2, and a few years ago my wife started to let Schatzie snuggle with her in the bed, and now she sleeps with us every night. However, Schatzie still will not walk into the bedroom. One of us has to pick her up and carry her to the bed!

One of her favorite games is what I call "chase the kibble." I'll grab a handful dog food from her bowl, and she knows that the game is about to begin. She gets very excited! I'll toss one of the kibbles into the dining room, and she chases it down with gusto! If it goes under the table, even better! She jumps through and under the chairs until she finds it, then scurries out for the next piece, which I throw into the opposite hall.

She chases after it as fast as she can, sliding on the wood floor and scooping it up on the run, turning and running back toward the kitchen, ready for the next piece. It is really fun to watch how serious she take this game!

I love my miniature schnauzer! I can't imagine life without her, and I'm looking forward to getting another puppy later this year.