It is their training. I have had them sitting in my lap. That is a blast until a raptor (hawk, eagle, etc.) flies over and then it is all assholes and elbows as they dive for the den. I was feeding them peanuts. The guest of honor would feel my fingers with its teeth until it got to the peanut and then bite... They are rodents and their front teeth grow all life long and they can go thru flesh, as necessary, like a hot knife thru butter. I cannot recommend doing this any more with black death around [BUBONIC PLAGUE]. The doctors say they can cure it now with lots of antibiotics, but I don't need that kind of grief. If you must, this was south east of Wall, SD. There is a loop off the interstate, state 44 if I remember right. I think it is just off the east turn off, there is a store. Out front they have a fiberglass p'dog about 30 feet tall. Cannot miss it. (Helicopter rides too in season.) And the parking lot is on the edge of a p'dog town. No, no shooting, just drooling. And the tourists spoil the little fur balls rotten. Fat. Lazy. But tame. North east of Badlands Nat. Park.
Another time I was looking for a ford (creek crossing) in Wyo. Two lane dirt track ran thru p'dog home town. They got out of the road a couple feet and sat and barked at me as I passed slowly. What I could have done with a rubber band and paper clips. OR???
Otherwise, once "enlightened" by some shoooting, they smarten up and a .22 rimfire is just not quite enough... unless you like a real challenge. .22 Mag, Hornet are about the bottom end. Of course, now there are the rimfire .17s... And from a rise in the grasslands, you can make use of a .22/250 or .243 out as far as you care to try. Beyond a couple hundred yards when the "bang" wear out, they sit and will look in the direction of the bullet if it misses...
My other shock, a group of us was shooting off tables and one man said, "look." About 30 or 40 feet away, 90 degrees to the side of the direction we were shooting, there was a family of p'dogs sitting on the mound watching down range as we shot... !! luck
