Yesterday I overheard a phone conversation between Mom and a friend. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It’s just the phone ringing woke me up from my nap, and I happened to be under the kitchen table where Mom was sitting and talking. Anyways, from the one side that I could hear, they were discussing if our annual Easter kibble hunt would take place this year. Good question! I was wondering that myself.
It’s hard to have a competition with just one dog. Angel Chuck Billy had very precise rules. So let’s see if I can remember them. Ever since I won the past few years in a row, he made some changes to this family tradition. There’s the rule the kibble and treat combo being hidden needed his approval. Oh and that a written tally must be taken during the hunt, along with a video. Also before a winner could be declared the video needed to be reviewed by Chuck Billy. How can we follow these rules without Chuck Billy’s supervision?
Luckily I came back from my pondering of the rules just in time to hear Mom remind her friend of the origins of the kibble hunt. It all began back in 2007 when the mischievous Easter Bunny sneaked into our house and hid Lemmy’s kibble all around the living room as a practical joke. Not wanting to let his food go to waste, Lemmy got right to work searching for it, and thus began our Easter kibble hunt tradition! There weren’t any rules, just a fun change in the routine on how breakfast was served.
It wasn’t until Chuck Billy came along in 2012, that it was changed into a competition. You all remember how competitive Chuck Billy was, right? Much to Lemmy’s dismay, even as a 10 or 11 week old puppy, Chuck Billy was not only faster, but a good problem solver and could sniff out the majority of the food before him. Although to be honest, by all accounts Lemmy was a slow and fussy eater, so I could understand why Chuck Billy would have the advantage.
That is until I came along! Despite Chuck Billy being a certified nose work “champion,” (Chuck Billy’s self-proclaimed title, he never actually was declared a champion), I am the reigning champ of our annual hunt to find our hidden kibble. Even though there were accusations of “unsportsdoglike behavior,” and an asterisk unfairly placed next to my name, I managed to find more kibble and treats on Easter morning for three years in a row. Alright, so losing my eye did give me a slight advantage with enhanced sniffing power. However, despite Chuck Billy’s unfounded accusations, I never used my friendship with the Easter Bunny to my advantage.
Again I was brought back from my daydreaming about past kibble hunt victories, just in time to hear Mom say to her friend, “This year we will continue the tradition of a kibble hunt on Easter morning, returning to its roots of a fun family game.” AWESOME!!! No rules! No tally count! Just an old fashion kibble hunt, as Lemmy intended!
For those curious about just how competitive Angel Chuck Billy was, and the unfair asterisk placed next to my name, here is his post from last Easter, Kibble Hunt Winner Three Years in a Row*. Oh how I miss bantering with my brother…and the taste of victory!
