Love it! My two also know how cute they are, and get away with murder as a result. Your story rings too true for me :)

They sure do. My cat Ella likes chewing on one of my house plants (which she and her brother almost chewed to death in a plant-chewing binge a few years ago) and she knows she's not allowed to. She cracks me up when she's nipping at the leaves and at the same time she's scanning the room to see where I am. She knows exactly what she's doing and to expect a hearty "oi", but she still does it, the little minx...

Of course my pets are cute!! :)

My dogs have never really worked out cyclists where we walk at the river. They run along side a cyclist, then suddenly cross in front of the bike, and the cyclists have to jam on the breaks. They either underestimate the speed, or think bikes can stop or change directions like walkers can. I'm always apologising.

Cuteness will only get you so far. If he'd taken a dump on their Petanquery I imagine their coos of delight would have changed abruptly.

It's a little known fact that small and baby animals utilise cuteness as a survival trait. What zoologists call "The Schnoogyboo Factor" comes into play when a small cute animal meets a predator - they exude cuteness to such a degree that the predator may be rendered useless and utter "Awww whosaschnoogyboo?" giving the small animal time to make good it's escape.

Cute pets for sure get away with a lot! People are contantly saying to my partner and I things like "How could not forgive a face like that"....

You are right tho Nick, imagine if it was a much bigger dog the reception almost certainly would be different. Isn't is odd that some (uneducated) people seem to think that smaller cuter animals are harmless and have no qualms about approaching and patting them...

@Paul its the same reason babies smile so early.. its so you don't kill them and find them nonthreatening.

Some animals of course think they are cute when they are in fact not so cute.. for example the neighbours three legged noseless cat.. hes a perfectly nice cat but not cute at all.

@LaDi #5 .. yes its the small ones you need to be wary of.. especially ponies.. the smaller and cuter a pony looks the more evil, cunning and viscious it is.

My dogs are anything but cute - they're blue heelers so very very in your face and intense. However people do tend to think the girl is cute.... I'm not sure why, shes the most ADHD. However my miniature spoodle... well. You can take him ANYWHERE and people melt. When he was a pup my ex had him (in his arms) in Harvey Norman. A younger lady came barelling up to him and said "excuse me, im sorry but..." and ex is thinking "oh dear, going to have to leave". She finishes with "im just going to HAVE to pat your puppy, hes so cute!!!" Lol. Shortly after a congregation of half a dozen staff were cooing and ahhing over the little ball of fluff. Possibly not the most professional but cos he was so cute he can get away with anything. Well, so he thinks. That being said he does behave himself very well :)

I am a victim of falling for cuteness! I have a Beagle and a spoodle cross. The spoodle cross is very well behaved, and until recently I thought my Beagle boy was too. That is until my sister pointed out that actually he's quite naughty, and rolling over in front of me everytime he does something naughty - that's just a distraction! Awwww but seriously - how could you tell him off! he's so cute hahaha

Oh dear, I love random 'run offs' especially when training has been going so well for off leash time, and you think you may have finally gotten 'there'......

I thought that last night, at the beach. My dog spotted the other dog, was not too worried at all and carried on his way - that was until they started throwing a stick. I felt very embarrassed as I had to almost pick my dog up to get him away, he loves stick and tennis balls lol.

@Paul Your 'Schnoogyboo Factor' (I like) was well used by Puss In Boots in Shrek.

I have always held this theory on why puppies are so cute. When you just want to boot them across the room, you can't bring yourself to do it. That is how the canine species survives. (Disclaimer: the 'boot across the room' part is a joke.)

My dog always knew just how cute she was as a puppy, and exploited it to the full. It was the big brown eyes and button nose, dammit!