Why would anyone ever give a dog a bone with a knick-knack paddy-whack?

Question

And what does it mean?

Answer 1

Tghis is an English nursery rhyme meant to teach children certain lessons in an easily remembered way. In this case iot is numbers with each number having a different verse. 'Nick nack' is a sound to encourage clapping for co-ordination and to keep the children interested. Paddy whack may have an Irish connection as Irishmen were often described as 'Paddys' due to the popularity of that name in Ireland. Also people from Liverpool used to calll themselves 'Whackers' and as there was a large influx of Irish people to Liverpool during the potato famine a 'Paddy Whack' is probably an Irish Liverpudlian. Ultimately though nursery rhymes were meant to be an aid to teaching and the repetitiveness of this one makes it easily remembered. Some years ago people would accompany singing by using a pair of rick-racks (Dried flat bones) that they used to keep time by holding them between their fingers so that they clattered together, sometimes spoons being used, this explaining the knick nack.

This old man, he played one;
He played knick-knack 'on my thumb' (or 'on a drum').
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played two;
He played knick-knack on my shoe.
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played three;
He played knick-knack 'on my knee' (or 'on my tree').
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played four;
He played knick-knack on my door.
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played five;
He played knick-knack 'on my hive' (or 'on my knife').
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played six;
He played knick-knack on my sticks.
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played seven;
He played knick-knack 'up in heaven' (or 'on my oven' or 'with my pen').
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played eight;
He played knick-knack on my gate.
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played nine;
He played knick-knack 'on my spine' (or 'in a line').
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played ten;
He played knick-knack 'once again' (or 'on my pen' or 'on my hen').
With a knick-knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone;
This old man came rolling home.

Answer 2

Very good and serious question!
Knick nac paddy wacks are just too unpredictable and unknown to just go tossing into your doggies life!
Good point!