A woman concerned her dog may be sick decided to give him the ultimate test to make sure he wasn’t “manipulating” her. Turns out, he was.
Maia McCann lives in New York with her pug, Smokey, who has developed a taste for the finer things in life.
McCann, who works in the media industry, told Newsweek: “Smokey is 11. I’ve raised him in the city and I think he’s really grown fond of New York’s café culture and seems to think that he should get a pastry on every walk!”
In a clip to her TikTok page @smokeyandmaia on March 28, McCann held Smokey up to the camera and declared she was about to play a game: “Is Smokey sick, or is he emotionally manipulating me so that I’ll take him for cheesy bread?”
She explained the pug had refused to eat breakfast, but had recently been tricking her in order to get the food he really wants.
So, before taking him to the vet, she put him to the test, and walked with him down the street towards their regular café—and the closer they got, the more Smokey pulled on the leash.
“It is looking pretty likely Smokey was faking sick to emotionally manipulate me into going and getting him a cheesy bread,” McCann said as they got closer to the café.
And once inside, Smokey began licking his lips in anticipation—and eagerly snapped up the treat.
“It is such a miracle that you made a full recovery,” she said sarcastically as Smokey tucked in. “We must have discovered the cure for the cheesy bread disease, thank goodness.
“Didn’t even have to pay the vet to tell me you’re just smarter than you look sometimes.”
In a caption to the video, McCann described this manipulation as “the only trick Smokey knows.”
TikTok users had a big reaction, awarding the video more than 270,000 likes, as one commenter joked Smokey was saying: “I guess I’ll try and force down a little cheesy bread to settle my stomach.”
“He was sick,” another wrote. “Of not having cheesy bread.”
“He didn’t want to spoil his appetite,” another suggested, as another shared: “My dog limps aggressively when he wants cookies.”
And as one commenter declared: “He was sick and then healed by cheesy bread.”
Dogs can fake injuries or illness, and it may stem from reinforced behavior. If a dog notices they get extra attention or treats when they’re sick or injured, they may act the same way later to get the same result, according to Nutri-Paw.
Owners should take their pets to the veterinarian to be sure, but signs the dog may be faking include the symptoms only being present when you’re nearby, or the symptoms disappearing when the dog is distracted or excited.
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