In a far and remote village in South Korea, a family owns several dogs. The family takes good care of their dogs. They make sure they feed the dogs well and that the animals are free to roam around the house.
One of the dogs named Taebong had a peculiar habit. Taebong is an adult brown dog that likes to bite a stone. The stone it chooses was usually longer than the width of its mouth.
The owners tried to take the stone out of the dog’s mouth. But Taebong refuses to give up the stone. All-day long, Taebong keeps the stone in its mouth. Even when it eats, it puts the stone down beside its food and bites it again afterward.
The dog loves the attention it gets
The dog’s strange habit draws the attention of their neighbors. People would come to see the dog that keeps a stone in its mouth. The dog became famous in their community.
Taebong’s owners worry that biting the stone could injure itself permanently. The dog likes to bite the stone in uncomfortable angles in its mouth. The stone may end up bruising its jaw or mouth.
The owners consulted a local veterinary doctor about the condition of Taebong. After hearing the dog’s story, the doctor concluded that the dog felt unnoticed in the household. Since there were a lot of dogs at home, Taebong found a way to get noticed.
The family wanted Taebong to stop its habit
With a stone in its mouth, the owners and other people seem to give more attention to Taebong. Taebong enjoys having this extra attention and the reason why it keeps a stone in its mouth.
The doctor also confirmed that the habit could get Taebong injured. The dog had to stop keeping a stone in its mouth soon. One way was to remove the reason why the dog wants the stone in its mouth.
The doctor recommended that the owners should ignore Taebong as long as it keeps the stone in its mouth. But when the dog puts down the stone, they should praise it and shower it with attention.
The family followed the instructions of the doctor. The result was as the doctor expected. As long as the family gives extra attention to Taebong, the dog won’t feel the need to find another stone again.
Special thanks to SBS TV via Youtube for the image used in the story.
