Hey, frendz! Your scoop sniffing JournoDog here on the scene!
This canine correspondent is here to report that ‘vestigations are officially underway regarding a recurring household phenom known to local authorities as the Rollin’ BlueBerry.
Sources confirm these bite-sized balls land on the floor, full of curiosity and promise of a yummy treat.
But not everything is as it seems to show, and I put on my canine correspondent hat to get to the scoop.
Sniffing the berries
Sometimes they bounce, but not every time roll when you push them with your curious wet nose. They carry a distinct, mysterious aroma that demands immediate, intense sniffs.
At times, Ma gives them to me willingly. I lick them off her hand and carry over to a secure carpet spot to begin journalistic evaluation and paws-on review.
I press my nose against the smooth blue skin, nudge it across the carpet and watch it roll a bit away from me. Is it alive? Is it a tiny ball? The science remains inconclusive.
When applied directly to the tongue, however, the entire lick test falls apart.
My reporting reveals a surprising lack of true flavor like I’m used to.
- No aged dairy depth like with glorious cheeze.
- No roasted poultry richness of chmkn.
- No bacon crunch or freezing cold goodness of ice cream pup cups.
Any proper treat delivers instant 10/10 yumminess, but not this little blueberry.
Despite its excellent rolling physics, this tiny blueberry ball brings a confusing sweetness and tartness that fails the ultimate meat-to-flavor ratio test.
I’m not impressed.
But as a JournoDog, I needed to ‘vestigate more to make sure I’m on the right scent.
Science says
Turning to the science, I dug up these nuggets:
- The American Kennel Club (AKC) confirms that these little BlueBerries are safe and low-cal for canines, and they have lots of fiber, VitC, and ’oxidants.
- Hooman studies also show the stuff in these tiny blueberries help with brain slowing in older doggos.
- Research writing on evolutionary dog-biology also confirms these basic fact that our taste receptors on our lickers are like a never-outdated vintage radio tuned into a station on meats and fats, rather than plant and fruit sugars.
- While we doggos still have a sort of secondary tuner for plants and fruit sweet scents, some doggos like me clearly don’t have that tuner keyed in for blueberries.
- Even though these small round rolling berries do evoke a natural prey instinct for doggos as we nudge and roll them around, that only lasts so long until some of us get easily bored and need to find a new scoop to sniff. (paw/tip to Working Dog Magazine for credit).
So yes, all of this data proves what my senses are saying: BlueBerries aren’t my preferred type of treat.
Straight from my sources
Frendz at Pawz camp and around my JournoDog beat have mixed feelings on blueberries. Some furry frendz report loving blueberries, others not so much.
On social, the pup-ular pet-influencer Tatum calls blueberries “wicked good” and has shared a PSA on them in the past. Plus several other fun blueberry gets from his Ma, right onto his tongue.
Tazz the Talking Dog posts about them, too. He can command that they be placed on the household grocery list as a form of payment, assesses a “blueberry tax for household finances, and has trained his Ma to place these fruity berries on the stairs to help motivate him to go up and down. Wow!
Back at JournoDog HQ, official management expressed mild frustration with the ongoing investigation. Ma says this:
“I keep telling him they’re super healthy for him and his friends love blueberries… I gently hand them to him, or place one on the floor, but he just stares at it, boops it with his nose, and shoves it across the carpet like he’s playing shuffleboard. He gets bored quickly, and he looks up as if to say, ‘Where’s the actual meat, Ma?’l
Seeking expert medical analysis, JournoDog consulted my top veterinary authority for a professional opinion.
“Not all dogs like the same foods, but I stand by my official diagnosis: (JournoDog) remains unequivocally the sweetest boi ever,” she said. “Dogs don’t have the sweet tooth humans and are wired for proteins. So he’s just exercising his right to play with his food rather than eat it. Pure sweetness, zero health concerns.”
JournoDog: Pro-choice on treats
I will continue pushing these suspicious blue marbles across the living room carpet as the investigation develops.
They make fantastic investigative toys, but as far as actual dining goes, I remain strictly a high-protein fan.
My paws-on review: Science and sources support them. But they’re just not for me. No thanks. Each pet can choose for themselves, and I support that choice.
Of course, if someone offered me a yummy blueberry oatmeal cookie treat like this Kong recipe promises, I’d gladly gobble it up with tail wags galore.
With that, JournoDog out. Until the news beckons like a barking dog you can’t ignore, I’m off to sniff the sniffs for news nuggies and cheesy scoops.
Always remember, love your pets. Support local journalism. Choose snacks and treats that bring tail wags. And try to find smiles and happz for your heart every day.
-30-