The bond between a pet dog and their owner is usually strong and everlasting. We love our dogs, after all they are man’s best friend. Knowing you can rely on your pets is totally gratifying. Especially during a crisis, like the Coronavirus pandemic that is affecting the world. Cities, states, and other countries are doing the best they can to prevent the virus from spreading, like social distancing and quarantine, voluntary or otherwise. A Mexican man who elected to follow the stay-at-home directive, decided to continue enjoying his life. He had a craving for his favorite snack, “Cheetos”, and devised a unique and amusing way to get a bag, without leaving his home.
Antonio Munoz very well knew the implications of Coronavirus. He wanted to do his share by staying home, but his cravings for a snack were bothering him. How could he get a bag of Cheetos? There was a quarantine in effect, and he couldn’t just walk to the store. Well, desperation made him come up with a novel and unique idea, he would send his trusted chihuahua and hope for the best. So he attached a note on the collar of his pet, along with a $20 bill. The note read (translated), “Hello Mr. Shopkeeper. Please sell my dog some Cheetos, the orange kind, not the red ones, they’re too hot. She has $20 attached to her collar.WARNING: She will bite if not treated right. Your front neighbor.” You can imagine the tiny dog’s confusion, after all, this was something new for her. There is also a common notion that chihuahuas are untrainable and temperamental, but this is a misconception. Chihuahua breeder Patricia Johanson admits that this dog breed is known to be snappy, feisty, and difficult to potty train. And they love to bark loudly. Individuals differ from each other within this breed, but they are trainable. You see a lot of chihuahuas in movies, shows, and sports events.
Johanson also explains that positive reinforcement is essential in getting a dog’s loyalty and obedience. Rewarding them with treats for good behavior seems to work well, even for chihuahuas. Well, Munoz must have trained his chihuahua very well. They must have had a special relationship. His chihuahua went to the store, purchased the Cheetos, and went back to her master, most likely with change as well. It is a cute story, and brings some lightness to the heavy burden of the Coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, Munoz and other citizens around the world will be able to do their own errands outside their homes soon.
