The best things in life are free, but the second best things are really, really expensive. I mean, there’s always a price to pay, because nothing in this world is actually free, but now commerce apparently includes dogs. Even this dog is paying what he can afford to feed himself!
This extra smart dog from Colombia lives on the campus of Diversified Technical Education Institute of Monterrey Casanare. The faculty has taken quite a liking to the pup because they’ve been looking after him, making sure he’s got a place to rest his head at night, and that he’s always fed. Still, he has devised a way to show his appreciation and “pay” his way. This dog is no freeloader!
The pup adopted his method after watching how a store on campus worked. He saw students handing over green pieces of paper (money) in exchange for treats. He watched this go on for a while, before picking up the notion that he could try it himself. It couldn’t be that difficult, after all, there was “green” all around him – leaves!
So the dog started picking up leaves in his mouth and bringing them up in exchange for a treat. And boy, did it ever, literally, pay off! “He would go to the store and watch the children give money and receive something in exchange,” teacher Angela Garcia Bernal said. “Then one day, spontaneous, he appeared with a leaf in his mouth, wagging his tail and letting it be known that he wanted a cookie.”
How could the store attendant refuse? This was the beginning of this canine showing up every day with a big green leaf in his mouth, in exchange for a treat! “When you first see it, you almost want to cry,” Angela said. “He’s found a way to make himself understood. He’s very intelligent.” And what a smart cookie he is!
