Attribution: Photo by Gurth Bramall on Unsplash
By Bill Stokes
Kickass, the doorstop dog, will be joining the keeper and Phyllis in their efforts at improving relationships with some of the other pack species by viewing the consumption of leftovers as “returning to the kill” in the mode of lions, wolves or hyenas.
While there is different terminology involved—”returning to the kill” and “eating leftovers” the acts themselves accomplish pretty much the same thing which presents an opportunity to compare notes and pose questions such as are older pack members given any priority or must they wait until everyone has had their fill of the “kill” before they are allowed near it?
There are obviously many other branches of the evolutionary tree shared by the keeper’s species and the wild ones; and it would seem to improve the ride on the planet if some of them were identified and discussed such as the role of Alpha females in pack survival, even giving birth while sleeping through long periods of unpleasant weather, banding together for more effective hunting and protection, and isolating and kicking out any pack member who makes trouble, starts fights howls nonstop and tries to hog the leftovers.
