4 ms·

Our neighbour had a golden retriever who I would feed the odd treat to (because who doesn't like dogs?). One day he saw me and came up to me and looked at my fa

Our neighbour had a golden retriever who I would feed the odd treat to (because who doesn't like dogs?). One day he saw me and came up to me and looked at my face to see if I was looking at him, and then with his eyebrows gestured to my pocket (where I normally kept treats for him) and then looked at my face again. Smart dog.

nemo44x 6y ago
Yeah dogs get really good at a few things, especially when it comes to food. They are really good manipulators too, generally to get food. My dog only needs to be given a treat once by a shop owner and every walk afterwards he’ll go up to the door of that shop. I took him with me to pick up a framed picture once and the shop owner had a few treats for him. We don’t often go by this shop and this was awhile ago. And now when do walk past he pulls a bit to suggest we go inside. Or if they find some food under a bush or something - they’ll check quite a few times later to see if it magically restocked. They also try things out to see if it works in getting them food. Which is why it’s important to not fall for their tricks. Easier said than done as they know how to use their facial expressions to get what they want. When it comes down to it, dogs simply have a lot of time on their hands. They get good at figuring out which sounds and actions mean what at certain times. And they figure out how to manipulate that. Almost like inmates that have nothing to do all day but think up schemes. They’ll get away with whatever they can.
- yourapostasy 6y ago
  The way you described your experiences gave rise to a question: are well-loved dogs already living a post-scarcity reality?
  - nemo44x 6y ago
    Yeah, seems like it. My dog lives a really easy life. But it wouldn’t be a good life for a human or even a wild animal. My dog has no freedom or agency and is 100% reliant on me for food, exercise, entertainment, etc. He can do what he wants within the limits of what I’ve trained him as acceptable (can go in the bed, but not the couch for example) but he isn’t free to leave. He is 100% subject to what I feel is best for him. Now of course this relationship is mutually beneficial (I assume he’s happy - he gets healthy food, lots of exercise, and treats and toys as well as affection when he asks for it) but even if we had a true post scarcity world I would not want to live his life within the context that I’m a human.
- at_a_remove 6y ago
  At my Starbucks (and presumably others), dogs riding in a car in the drive-through regularly receive "puppercinos," a cup of whipped cream. I noticed how the dogs immediately go to the driver-side window and begin making eyes at the baristas.
  - heelix 6y ago
    Dairy Queen does something similar. Our dog does the same thing with the pup cups of soft serve they hand out.
- undersuit 6y ago
  Yeah drive-throughs are required to have dog treats now because one drive-through had dog treats. Or at least that's what my dogs think. Also they have a mental map of every single squirrel they've seen in town.

nemo44x 6y ago

Yeah dogs get really good at a few things, especially when it comes to food. They are really good manipulators too, generally to get food. My dog only needs to be given a treat once by a shop owner and every walk afterwards he’ll go up to the door of that shop. I took him with me to pick up a framed picture once and the shop owner had a few treats for him. We don’t often go by this shop and this was awhile ago. And now when do walk past he pulls a bit to suggest we go inside. Or if they find some food under a bush or something - they’ll check quite a few times later to see if it magically restocked. They also try things out to see if it works in getting them food. Which is why it’s important to not fall for their tricks. Easier said than done as they know how to use their facial expressions to get what they want. When it comes down to it, dogs simply have a lot of time on their hands. They get good at figuring out which sounds and actions mean what at certain times. And they figure out how to manipulate that. Almost like inmates that have nothing to do all day but think up schemes. They’ll get away with whatever they can.

yourapostasy 6y ago
The way you described your experiences gave rise to a question: are well-loved dogs already living a post-scarcity reality?
- nemo44x 6y ago
  Yeah, seems like it. My dog lives a really easy life. But it wouldn’t be a good life for a human or even a wild animal. My dog has no freedom or agency and is 100% reliant on me for food, exercise, entertainment, etc. He can do what he wants within the limits of what I’ve trained him as acceptable (can go in the bed, but not the couch for example) but he isn’t free to leave. He is 100% subject to what I feel is best for him. Now of course this relationship is mutually beneficial (I assume he’s happy - he gets healthy food, lots of exercise, and treats and toys as well as affection when he asks for it) but even if we had a true post scarcity world I would not want to live his life within the context that I’m a human.
at_a_remove 6y ago
At my Starbucks (and presumably others), dogs riding in a car in the drive-through regularly receive "puppercinos," a cup of whipped cream. I noticed how the dogs immediately go to the driver-side window and begin making eyes at the baristas.
- heelix 6y ago
  Dairy Queen does something similar. Our dog does the same thing with the pup cups of soft serve they hand out.
undersuit 6y ago
Yeah drive-throughs are required to have dog treats now because one drive-through had dog treats. Or at least that's what my dogs think. Also they have a mental map of every single squirrel they've seen in town.