Dog Observes Students Buying Food - Uses Leaves As Money To 'Pay' For Cookies

Sep 23, 2020

A dog who lives at a college located in Colombia has learned how to "buy" himself a cookie by watching the day-to-day activities of students for the last five years: with a leaf.

Most dogs will beg for the treats that they want. This clever dog will actually pay for his.

This labrador, whose name means "black" in Spanish, has been living near the campus of Colombia's Diversified Technical Education Institute of Monterrey Casanare. People see him as a sort of guardian of the students. The faculty takes care of the dog, making sure he has food, water, and a safe place to sleep at night.

Very early on, the dog noticed that there was a small store where students could purchase things while they were on their breaks. They would often buy the dog cookies while they were there. Apparently, he realized that in order to get something at the store you had to give something to the cashier. He watched as the kids would come in and exchange money for goods, according to The Dodo. 

Angela Bernal, a teacher at the school, told The Dodo:

 "He would go to the store and watch the children give money and receive something in exchange. Then one day, spontaneous, he appeared with a leaf in his mouth, wagging his tail and letting it be known that he wanted a cookie." 

Of course, the staff of the store was delighted to give him what he wanted. He quickly realized that he could bring leaves and they could be exchanged for treats. 

Since that day, it has been a regular occurrence. "He comes for cookies every day," Gladys Barreto, a store attendant, told The Dodo. "He always pays with a leaf. It is his daily purchase." The staff makes sure that all treats are safe for dogs to eat and they limit his “purchases” as well, in order to keep him at a healthy weight.

"When you first see it, you almost want to cry," Bernal told The Dodo. "He's found a way to make himself understood. He's very intelligent."

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