mmm, lacquer...

Our pug knows he isn't allowed to chew things. This, however, doesn't stop him, and unfortunately, he also seems to prefer belongings that were bought in places we will likely never visit again. He's a connoisseur of destruction, if you will.

Generally he saves his dental indulgences for when we are not at home, but every once in a while we catch him chewing something while we're there. Of course we tell him to stop, which is when the entertainment begins.

First, he drops the object from his mouth and stares at you, trying to understand what in the world would make you suspect him of intentionally chewing anything. Then he trots away, only to turn around and trot back toward the object, giving it a passing glance as he walks on by. A few more seconds, and he'll walk by it again, this time sniffing as he passes. Then, another pass, this time actually stopping to sniff the object. Again, back towards the object, this time stopping by it and laying down. Then nudging it with his nose. And then (here's the fun part), he yawns. Opens his mouth wide, even makes the little yawning sound, and closes his mouth, only to find that somehow, unbeknown to him, the object placed itself in his mouth while he was yawning. And of course, if the object placed itself there, what's a little pug to do but chew?

Scold. repeat.

I wondered how unique this kind of behavior was until I saw the clip below. Apparently it's in the genes.