Why should I object to being told that my dinner had been barking a few moments before, as opposed to going moooo or baaa or cluck-cluck-cluk or even, (pace Nollaig) quack?

If, on the other hand, I was told that my dinner had been mendin his central heating system or discussing a bank loan with her manager before arriving on my plate, that would probably cause me to pause, think, then ask for more mustard.

muffing