LUNG CAPACITY ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

Heads -- and stomachs -- were turning at 7th and Montana this morning as details emerged regarding Richard's latest effort to train Charlie the Irascible Sheepdog. First, some background: Charlie (pictured below) is a great dog with a small problem: Certain dogs and people make him Barking Mad. Richard has tried everything. An endless parade of Dog Whisperers, Personal Coaches, weeks on end at Doggie Boot Camp ... you name it, Richard has tried it. That's why folks are so surprised that Richard's latest effort, a technique he calls "Treat Therapy," seems to be working. For the past two months, every time another dog walks by, Richard plies Charlie with treats. The treats -- small brown chunks that look suspiciously like excrement -- distract Charlie and provide him with positive reinforcement. I finally worked up the courage today to ask what they're made of. "Freeze Dried Lamb's Lung," said Richard. I took a deep breath, recalling the number of times I've personally handled the morsels, and tried not to look at the stack sitting in front of me on the table. "Really?!?," I replied. "Oh yes," said Richard, "Charlie just loves them. And they're good for him, too." Indeed, research suggests that a single lobe is comprised of 50 percent protein, is highly digestible and low in magnesium. However, if you ask me, at $16 a pound, which is the bulk rate on the Internet, Richard is getting fleeced ...!