While Mr. Slater (of Jet Blue fame) was sliding down that chute to unemployment and jail, Lulu and Phoebe were busy doing the opposite. They dramatically reenact what might be in store for Mr. Slater (r). But in the meantime, they also demonstrate the rewards of pushing through when the going gets tough. These cleverly designed puzzles are the mental equivalent of taking the dog on a five mile hike or playing Frisbee until everyone collapses and needs a beer.
Like humans, learning for dogs is as individual as it comes. Watching two different dogs work through the puzzle is exactly the same as watching two human siblings play poker. One will always be a shark and the other will never be able to manage a poker face.
Lulu, while working that little tiny apricot sized brain, will delicately and deliberately work the puzzle until every last morsel is obtained and then she is sure we've hidden more.
Phoebe, with a head twice the size of Lulu, but a brain the size of a purple grape, will use the kill instinct to get through the puzzle; like a tiny gentle giant, she tries to slam the thing around to see what falls out. Eventually she wins, but you can see that she has not one clue why. Doesn't matter to her, because she will never ever give up.
You might say, in fact, that these guys are the anti-Slater-ites. As a human who can find many excuses to quit, give up, or walk away, these two have been an oasis in why giving up is most times stupid. The best rewards are often the very ones that seem unobtainable; in fact, the interminable unemployment is finally over.
My new motto; Go! Dog! Go! applies to more than just a dog with a silly hat.
Lucy does Twister
Phoebe kills Twister
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