[Fluff] A few stories about the smartest dog I've ever known; My beautiful service dog, Bear (Akita). He was insanely smart- and it got him into a LOT of trouble. I hope you enjoy his antics as much as I did.Dog Talks

Obligatory dog tax of course to start (photos of Bear); https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvux5OInMGz/?igshid=v9sg9a3ig8r2

So anyways... My service dog Bear. We had 14 beautiful years together.

He was the first Akita I'd ever seen and the first dog I'd ever had (I was warned it was a horrible idea to get an Akita as a first dog at 18 years old, but he was a very spur of the moment rescue). My god was he gorgeous and amazing.

I literally stole him from the shitty pet store I worked for add a teen when they were going to stick him in the freezer for only having one testicle descended bc the puppy mill wouldn't take him back and they couldn't sell him.

Took home this 7wk old ball of fluff - and we were inseperable.

After he showed fantastic signs of pre-cognition before severe asthma attacks, we rolled obedience into over 700+ hours of service-dog training, and for 11 years, we flew 30+ times, moved 1400 miles and he saved my life twice.

But... He was also a massively smart pain in the ass.

For one; I always had to use the microwave to hide all food that's like- left out for the next person to come serve themselves - if it's not going immediately in the fridge, it's got to go in the microwave so the cat (and dog) didn't help themselves or get hair in your food.

My beautiful Bear-dog was WAY too smart for this. He popped that fucking over-oven mounted microwave open with his paw and enjoyed an entire pan of brownies while I was at work. When I told my mother over the phone her response was "Did he see you put it in there?" (Yes) "Well, what did you expect."

The same brilliant dog ate 2 lbs of vermont cheddar cheese- taken directly from the fridge and the rat bastard threw the wrapper in the trash to avoid getting caught..

Of course... then he passed out in a puddle of cheese drool and a cloud of cheddar farts - and didn't poop for DAYS. Busted, buddy.

He started mysteriously appearing in the house when we'd put him in the fenced yard to do his business shortly after I moved in with a boyfriend. We were PERPLEXED. We looked for open windows, doors he could force open... Nothing. Until we see the WALL giving birth to his 160 lb frame - SQUEEZING through the chihuahua size doggie door.

I would have won America's Funniest Home Videos if only I hadn't lost that to a hard drive crash. :-( It took a week to solve how he was letting himself in!

And as if none of that was enough...

After weeks of my neighbors telling me they had seen my dog walking himself early in the morning (which I did not believe because I would NEVER let my dog out off leash or allow him to roam unattended).

One early morning the cops wake me up, banging on my door at 5am. My bf and I were both local police officers, so when a fellow cop car passed by our house and saw our garage door opening- he stopped to say hi.

He was SHOCKED to see my Akita come out, alone, leash in his mouth (guess he didn't want to break the law!) with no humans in tow. The officer followed Bear as he walked two blocks- stopping at the corners to look both ways before crossing the street- before he made his way into the park and went for a swim in the little pond. After some harmless duck chasing (he would never hurt them)- he got out, shook off, picked up his leash, gave the cop a dirty look- and headed back home.

After many attempts to call him (all very much ignored)- the annoyed cop followed Bear BACK to our house. That damn dog pranced right into the garage... And looking the cop dead in the eyes as he got out of his patrol car - Bear shut the garage door using the wall button.

That morning I answered my door, half asleep- the cop that I knew met me with "Your damn dog just shut the door in my face. He's all wet. Open your garage. I'm serious.

Obviously I was VERY confused. Groggy, I turned to open the garage door... My 165 lb black and fawn akita is standing there, happy AF, tail wagging, DRIPPING. I just slowly closed the door- utterly confused... Before turning back to the cop for the explanation. I would NEVER have believed him if I didn't see the wet dog myself.

(To be clear- I did NOT make my dog stay in the hot garage. He opened the door and went out there himself and he could easily open it to come back in. The garage door button had tell-tale claw marks all over the wall- he must have been going for these little walks for WEEKS at least!)

Since we both worked nights and slept until about noon- he was apparently dripping dry in the hot Florida garage after his daily swims... before coming back inside, and we were none the wiser.

Apparently, the bastard usually took his leash with him- left it by the pond while swimming, and then picked it up to take it home. Several people told me this in the following weeks, as I finally accepted that they HAD seen my dog out, by himself. (Before that, I thought these people were nuts or had seen a stray that looked like my dog!)

Anyways... I miss you so much Bear-dog.

You were the best friend and the best dog ever... but my god are smart dogs insanely good at getting into trouble!!

Submitted October 24, 2020 at 12:35AM by EvansFamilyLego https://ift.tt/37Hp0qt