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October 27, 2015

Who You Calling Chicken?

I speak “dog” pretty fluently, especially when it comes to my pups. That said, I’m still trying to figure out the rules to one of their favorite games – chicken. It usually begins with Penny coming to a standstill Then entering hunting mode. She
I speak “dog” pretty fluently, especially when it comes to my pups. That said, I’m still trying to figure out the rules to one of their favorite games – chicken. Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

It usually begins with Penny coming to a standstill

Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

Then entering hunting mode. She pauses in her crouch, staring Eko down

Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

Once Eko sees Penny, he also freezes

Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

Then gives a mighty bounce

Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

Which I like to call his “moose antlers” move Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

Then he freezes again and stares down Penny

Statuesque, she glares right back

Now here’s the part I can’t figure out. Sometimes they’re frozen for half a second, other times they lock eyes for ten seconds. It’s a combination of a staring-contest, a game of chicken, and an Wild West shootout. They both have the “Go ahead, make my day” Clint Eastwood feel.

Sometimes Eko makes the move, other times it’s Penny. How it’s decided who moves first still escapes me, but the result is always the same.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

A high-flying, sand-tearing, all out romp!

Rhodesian Ridgeback, blog, chicago, puppy, montrose dog beach

I’m never quite sure who is the hunter and who is the hunted

Anyone else live with a gunslinger pup who likes to play this game? And does anyone have any theories about what decides which dog makes the first move?

Comments for Who You Calling Chicken?

  1. this game needs two pups… :o) If I see the frozen position, I always try to be prepared like a sailor for the storm…it breaks loose the next moment. For a leave or a used kleenex on the street :o)

  2. Kismet says:

    I know who doesn’t make the first move.

  3. dashlilly says:

    We call this game Statue! It’s just like what we used to play as kids — staying still and not moving. I have no idea where the signal to move comes from, but it eventually does and the doodles end up in the same pile/leaping/jumping explosion as Penny and Eko.

  4. I could photoshop different collars and that would be Neeka and Khoi. I’m too humanly slow to catch it, but I think the first one to blink is attacked. They can tear up a smooth, sandy beach on the river to the point it looks like a herd of buffalo crossed into the water. They come out of their mad minute covered in sand and with tongues hanging to their knees. Thank goodness there’s water to rinse off in.

  5. Shalini says:

    HAHA! Yes, Kahlua and Midnight started doing this late into her stay with us. About 7 months after. I wondered what on earth they’re upto. In our case it was always him who’d stalk/chase her. It was funny! He would hide behind trees, and then do the crouching tiger move, and then break out into a run after which they would chase one another like crazy! There were times I had to hold him, or distract him because I could see him starting to do it while the poor girl was using the bathroom. It has always been strange to me why he started doing this after THAT long into her stay, and she never did it back to him!

  6. Jesse says:

    Oshie and his new friend Lucy (a Ridgeback and lab mix) have beeing doing this lately. It is hilarious to watch them instigate each other.

  7. coastingnz says:

    Brilliant set of photos – they tell the story perfectly – love those shots of Eko getting ready – excellent!

  8. fran godwin says:

    Penny n eko have the cutest exressions, lovw them

  9. Those ears! So much fun watching them play, you get such get photos.

  10. Emmadog says:

    If they were both really fat, I would say the beginnings look like Sumo wrestling, but I think they are just sizing each other up like a game of chess until the first one makes the real move.

  11. DZ Dogs says:

    OMD best game ever!!! At our house its usually Ziva who starts the game, and then she’ll take off racing and doing zoomies then crash tackle into the boys if they don’t join in. 🙂 It looks like such a fun game!

  12. Jo Rhodes says:

    Dean responds to a play bow from Sam with a growl that sounds like Tasmanian Devil and an attack to a hind leg! There’s some flipping and rolling and dramatic background music before they collapse into a pile of puppy panting. It’s so good to watch!
    Much love to your gang!

  13. raisingdaisy says:

    That is too funny!! I love these photos, such funny poses on the pups! I love the games dogs play with each other. Since Daisy is an “only pup”, I enjoy watching the games she plays with her toys. Sometimes she seems to be working out an agenda, as if they were alive. 🙂

  14. Me says:

    Kasper and Zoey do this!!

    Sometimes I like to give them a helping hand…I’ve found if I make a pouncing movement towards one of them I can make them move early hahaha 😀 Sometimes I will leave them to it, and as you said they can be frozen for 2 – 10 seconds…other times I make a fake-pounce and start the fight early XD

  15. fredrieka says:

    I love playing chicken with dadwithoutpaws he makes me bark like crazy

  16. We think it may be one of those little “great mysteries of life” as to who starts what when it comes to the BIG SHOWDOWN. Kinda makes life more interesting right?

    Pam and Sam

  17. Kali and Smokey do this sometimes, although with far less gusto and endurance that your two pups. It is pretty hilarious to see a little 10 pound Morky chasing and being chased by 56 pound Kali. Kali’s style is more mohammed Ali-esque with a rope a dope strategy while Smokey deploys the speed and quickness of a feather weight. In their case Smokey almost always makes the first move but I’m a loss for what the trigger is. I think it’s in their eyes; maybe something we can’t see because we’re not on the other end staring into them?…

  18. Great game, our Sally used to play it with her friends. I think it’s the first to move or blink…it can be a very subtle move…but they get attacked!

  19. When I had Oskar and his brother Jester the Samoyeds they played it. I love watching the game though, it is always tons of fun!

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