Move Over Cats, It Turns Out Dogs Can Make Biscuits Too
A dog has opened his own virtual bakery and started "making biscuits", displaying a "kneading" habit more often associated with cats.
"I actually never saw another dog doing this," owner Natascha Keppens told Newsweek, remarking on her German shepherd's unusual behavior. "Making biscuits" is a phrase referring to animals kneading soft surfaces with their paws, often in order to relax.
"He does it when he is really excited or tired. Then he takes a blanket and starts nibbling on it, and his paws will follow," Keppens, a police officer in Belgium, said.
The two-and-a-half-year-old named Tchief started his virtual biscuit business when he was just a few months old.
The 27-year-old said she hopes Tchief will be a K9 police dog someday, so they spend much of their day doing "Globalring," which is "a dog sport where they have to do obedience and bitework," she said.
"When his switch is on...he is a beast," she said. Keppens also shares videos of Tchief in full combat mode, alongside clips of his biscuit-making abilities.
Keppens theorized the biscuits could be a way to help him unwind, saying: "He does it every day. Because we train a lot. So we come home and he don't really have an off button.
"So when we are home he still wants to work or play fetch. So I ignore him and then when he finally starts to relax, he takes his blanky and starts doing it."
Explaining more about why cats are star bakers, pet food website Purina said: "Cat kneading is a common cat behaviour, often displayed as the rhythmic pushing of their paws in and out at alternating times. Many people think that it looks like they're kneading dough, which is why it's also adorably known as 'making biscuits.'
"Cats often knead to show pleasure. Your cat may also knead on your lap to show their love and contentment.
"A stressed cat may knead to create a soothing, calm mood. Cat kneading is an instinctive trait that they inherit from kitten-hood."
While not unheard of in dogs, it appears to be less common, though it is motivated by similar factors.
"Kneading can also be a sign of comfort and security for dogs. When a dog kneads, it may be a sign that they are feeling relaxed and content. Dogs may also knead when they are feeling anxious or stressed as a way to self-soothe," website Petexpertadvice.com said.
Keppens recalled the first time she saw Tchief kneading: "He was around 8 months. He was a terrible teenage puppy, then I noticed that he started doing it in his crate and fell asleep."
She began sharing Tchief's biscuit clips to TikTok, under the username @tchief_the_black_gsd. The most popular video, posted in April, amassing nearly 3 million views.
"Biscuits in the making", and "another load of biscuits on the way," are some of the captions Keppens added to the adorable clips.
However, she was forced to defend herself and Tchief from some negative feedback online, as she stressed in one caption: "And PLEASE stop telling I'm doing this cuz I've been taken away from my mom too early. IT'S NOT ! Big boy does this for comfort!"
The policewoman said to Newsweek: "I've [had] him since he was 8 weeks (the legal age to get a puppy in Belgium) so, two years and four months [in total].
"On TikTok there are a lot of people assuming he was taken away from his mom too soon. But it wasn't."
Tchief lives with Keppens full time at home, and she joked she has even begun to imitate his behavior.
"In Belgium, we say that the dog starts to look like his handler. And it's true. The funny [thing is] I start to rub my fingers against a blanket when I'm tired. So we're pretty [much] doing the same thing," she said.
His biscuit-making has proved a hit online, although some weren't so enthusiastic, as SabrinaSpellman commented: "This cannot be a real dog."
Ace wrote: "I didn't know dogs could make biscuits."
While Joy asked: "Are biscuits on high demand that even dogs starts to make one too?"
Keppens has never owned a cat, so can't compare their biscuit efforts, although she said Tchief is "the best" in the business. "He does look really peaceful," she added.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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