Completed Corvo

[Sal Mander]

Day 48, Spring of 514 A.V.

When it came to the various breeds of dogs across the lands of Mizahar, Sal was confident that the mountain dog, found here in Lhavit, was one of the most intelligent. They were quick to learn, especially where edible rewards were concerned, and had an analytical mind that could fathom challenges and problems where other breeds would give up. Some breeds had grown too reliant on their masters, turning to them for food and shelter and in return taking position as loyal pet. But the mountain dog was resourceful, clever, and above all stubborn.

"Get down, for the umpteenth time!", Sal ordered, growing a little frustrated. But Corvo was having none of it. The bed was just too comfortable and the stubborn mutt had only just nestled into the perfect position. Without lifting his head, Corvo regarded his master with those big brown eyes, as if to say 'I do not understand what you are saying to me, human'. But Sal knew better. The dog was headstrong, which in turn meant he was going to be a pain in the ass.

The solution was simple of course. Having sought guidance from various pet owners, traders and trainers, not to mention the wealth of knowledge at the Bharani Library, Sal had ascertained one important fact. If there was one thing that dogs loved more than anything else in the world, including chasing small furry animals, sleeping, and sniffing other dog's butts, it was food. Not just any food of course, though in truth dogs were not exactly picky. But every single dog had that one particular treat; that tastiest of tasty morsels, that would have them dancing on their hind legs and begging like their life depended on it.

Unfortunately, Sal had not found Corvo's yet. He had tried dried fish with a dash of pepper, Lhavitian sausage with garlic and herbs, and of course that foul smelling crap the pet store owner had assured him would win over any dog. In any other part of the apartment, Corvo would obediently oblige in return for such treats. But getting off that bed? Not a chance. "Seriously dog, you are starting to piss me off. Why must I bribe you with food at all eh?" Corvo continued to watch him, though made no signs of offering an answer. At this rate, the human was almost willing to try okomo meat. Almost.

[Sal Mander]

When Sal returned an hour later, there had not been much movement from the dog on the bed, aside from it having rolled over onto its back with its front paws now stretched in the air. "How is that even comfortable?", the human asked rhetorically. He stopped by the kitchen table and plopped down something with a hefty thud. It was wrapped in creased paper, the kind they used down at the fish market. But wrapped or not, the contents could not remain hidden from Corvo's expert nose. At first his nostrils twitched, confirming the scent to be something deliciously tasty and worthy of further investigation. He rolled over onto his belly, his interest enough that he even lifted his lazy head, sniffing the air for more clues.

The smell was delicious, invoking a stirring in the dog's belly and salivation at the mouth. His moist tongue could not refrain from licking his eager chops as he regarded Sal at the kitchen table attentively. True, the bed was ridiculously comfortable. Corvo liked to hop up just after his master vacated it, when it was nice and warm and the blankets not all neat. Blankets had to be in a pile, according to Corvo. But as comfortable as the bed was, that smell was delightful. Whatever could it be, the dog wondered.

Sal observed the mutt with a sneaky grin, pleased to find his most recent attempt to capture the dog's attention was working. The meat in question was loved by dogs and humans alike. Famed for being the center piece of one of the most epic sandwiches the world had ever had the pleasure to consume, it was delicious as it was diverse. Some preferred to trim the line of fat along the top, where others would commit no such crime. It could be thick cut for extra juiciness, or crispy and crunchy. The taste was phenomenal. Sal wondered if wars had been fought in its name, so precious and succulent as it was. Maybe it had even prevented wars. "It is true bacon. I would likely kill for you", Sal agreed as his own stomach rumbled.

The bacon sandwich was, probably, the greatest thing to ever exist, a suggestion that Corvo was keen to agree with as he slinked down off the bed. Picking his steps towards Sal while sniffing the air, he gave his master the saddest face he could muster, those big brown eyes trying to look starved and pleading. "What is it Corvo? What? You want what? You mean this? Oh, you probably wouldn't like this? It's just.....bacon." Corvo's chops were eager for that magical meat, Sal not helping as he waved a piece in front of him. "You will have to do better than that Corvo, you bed stealing lump". Sal was clearly enjoying his newly acquired ascendancy, while chuckling to himself how easy it had proven to dismount Corvo from the bed. As per the advise he had been given, it was just a matter of finding the right treat. Of course, Sal wondered if there was any such thing as a dog that did not love bacon.

[Sal Mander]

Sal had often wondered about Corvo's past. Strays were not uncommon in Lhavit and he might well have been the offspring of a homeless bitch. Maybe he was abandoned when a heartless owner could not sell all the puppies from a particular litter. He thought those people should not be allowed dogs to begin with. In any case, Corvo had been poking his nose around Sal's front door, no doubt searching for scraps. He had been a scrawny husk back then, about a year ago or so. It had started with Sal tossing the remnants of his snack as he had been leaving for work in the morning. As chance would have it, the dog was still there when Sal returned. When the man was through with supper, he stuck his head out the window to see the dog still there, and offered up those scraps too.

From then on, it had sort of become a routine. Corvo was fast to learn that if he was at Sal's door around the same time in the morning each day, there would be the promise of food. Sal had even got into the habit of saving some, even if he knew he could finish himself what he had made. Come evenings, the times varied depending on how late he got home from work. But sure enough, the dog was there waiting patiently.

Then one day, while Sal was lighting the lamp and candles in his home, the rain had decided to come down with such ferocity that it was literally slapping against the windows rather than the more subtle patter that Lhavit was used to. Accompanied with angry cracks of thunder, the weather outside was a daunting prospect to young pups with nowhere to call home. Sal could only just hear the whimper, muffled as it was by the storm. Peering out the door, he saw Corvo's small and soaked frame huddling under a nearby trader's cart in the street. He looked miserable, scared and lonely, and it was only a heartless person that could not take pity on such a sight.

Running over to the cart, Sal was already getting a soaking himself. Corvo, scared as he was, recognized the kind man who fed him each day, cautiously crawled out from underneath. The two headed back inside where it was warm and dry. The dog was quite a sight once Sal had toweled him off, his fur all fluffy. It had not taken long for the pup to fall asleep in Sal's lap, surrounded by the warmth and security that being inside brought with it. And that was the day Corvo moved in.

[Sal Mander]

Corvo was more or less an independent dog. Aside from storms, he had grown up with a lot of confidence, having fended for himself on the streets before Sal took him in. Even now, Sal never really viewed himself as Corvo's owner. It was just a situation that had unfolded all of itself. If he had to label it, he would call it a mutual friendship. Corvo was fed and had a roof over his head, while for Sal there was the feeling of companionship that dogs were able to exude.

While Corvo had proven to be headstrong, he was also very intelligent. The introduction of bacon into matters had made training him a whole lot easier. Association was the key, offering bacon rewards when the dog performed a desirable action. The first trick had been the sit command, simple in itself yet effective in other situations. First of all was teaching the dog the action that went with the word. "Sit,", Sal would say with a stern voice. Not stern to frighten the dog into doing his bidding, but to enforce the pack leader hierarchy that all canines followed.

Obviously telling a dog to sit for the first time would have little success if the dog did not know what to do. To begin with, Sal would say the word while gently pushing on the dog's lower back just before it formed with the tail, encouraging him to take the sit position. Another technique was to hold the treat in his fist above the dog's head. Dogs could look up to an extent, but would sit to look higher. Combining these two, it did not take long to gave Corvo in the required position. Timing was essential when it came to rewarding the good behavior. At the moment Corvo took the sitting position, Sal gave up the treat along with lots of verbal praise.

Then it was just a matter of repeating the exercise each day. Not too much to make the exercise boring of course, but a few minutes here and there until the dog would sit immediately. After that, Sal would only sometimes include a treat with his praise. This way the dog was not getting too much food, and was also left wondering each time if it was treat time. This in turn encouraged the dog to follow the command, a command that had now been reinforced with positive connotations.

From there was the lay down command. First putting the dog in the sit position, Sal would then take a treat in his fist and hold it just above the ground in front of Corvo. The dog would instinctively try to sniff at the hand, and after a few attempts would lay down to better get at it. As before, reinforcing the desired behavior was essential, using both treats and praise. Certainly Corvo got it wrong several times to start with, but it only took repetition and patient from Sal to get there in the end.

As the season rolled on, Corvo could sit, lay down, stay, say please, roll over and come. Simple commands in their own right, but effective in keeping a dog obedient and well behaved. There were situations where Sal might have wanted the dog to keep out of the way, such as moving stuff around. A quick sit command would keep Corvo in place until the task was done, meaning there was no risk of anyone tripping over the dog. Come was a great command outside, such as when Sal needed to call the dog inside for the night. Most of all though, the training of a dog brought with it a real sense of accomplishment, in that it really did take a lot of patience. Furthermore, it greatly increased the bond between man and dog. For Corvo and all dogs, they were an animal that required a pack leader who would lead the way. This was simply nature and, even as pets, dogs instinctively followed the strongest. By training the dog, as well as being the provider of food, Sal had installed himself as the alpha male. For Corvo, that meant the burden of leadership was not his concern, and instead he would live comfortably knowing that he was looked after by someone in the pack who was confident and well placed to do so.

And to think, in the end, all it had taken was a slice of bacon.

Yummy, glorious bacon.

[Brandon Blackwing]

XP Award! Name: Sal Mander XP Award: Observation +2 Animal Husbandry +3 Lore: Corvo: Likes the bed too much Corvo’s favorite treat Animal Husbandry: Training Corvo Animal Husbandry: Being the alpha male How dog and man met Notes: Sal, this again was a great read, you have style I like a lot, so reading your threads is always a feast! (So is bacon ) So, due to there not being that much skills involved, there wasn’t much (in terms of different skills) to award you with, but meh, this thread did not call for it either. Anyways, nice work! By the way …. Who are you calling pesky?! Please remove or edit your request in the request thread. Questions, comments or concerns? PM me, Bores Son.