Learning, the hard way

All sorts of lessons we learn as children are useful the rest of our lives:  Fire is hot. Water is wet. If you fall down, get back up again.  

My baby niece got a new life lesson last weekend: know with whom you are dealing.

Baby niece is nine months old and learning the fun of interacting. If you smile, people smile back. If you wave at people, they generally wave back. And, her newest interaction: If you offer someone a bite of your food, they say "thank you." 

Most adults are kind enough to understand that a baby doesn't actually want to give away her food. So they courteously let her keep her cracker while offering the desired comment. 

A dog, however, won't extend a baby that sort of courtesy. 

A dog will take your food if you offer it. A dog will not say thank you -- at least not in the traditional sense.

Life lesson: It's best to know with whom you are dealing -- something we could all stand to remember now and then.