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Heh. Spike found a child's toy plastic rugby ball on a walk a week ago and it's his favourite toy ever in the whole world. He's played with it every day since we found it, and every day I've finished up by parking it in the fork of a tree for us to play with the next day. And every day it's been that tiny bit harder to get him to give it up.
Bribery doesn't work because there is nothing in the world I can give him he wants more than that ball. I usually use some form of subterfuge - not outright lying to him but being obscure enough that he can't be certain whether I want it to put away or to throw for him. The other thing that works is getting him worked up over leash tuggy or humping my arm or jumping up and down so that he drops it, and then being quick enough to grab his collar before he can pick it up again.
None of it worked today. He won. He's now triumphantly fondling it on the dog couch. I tried to use the "off switch" that I use to tell him to let go of leash tuggy - firmly take hold of it without pulling and say LET GO - and he glared at me over the top of it and came closer to growling at me in earnest than he ever has in his life.
I love having a dog I have to work hard to outthink. Luckily, my mother is on her way over to pick me up for family winterthing obligations. That will work.
Much later
That worked. But after I whipped the ball into the cupboard while he was greeting Mum, he broke my heart by searching frantically for it everywhere. And then I had to leave him.
Winterthing turned out pretty marvellous in the end. It's easy to forget what great people and great company my family are. Someone remind me of that when I'm working myself into a miserable funk this time next year. They're worth it. I am so damn lucky. I wish you all at least as much joy as I've been having.
Bribery doesn't work because there is nothing in the world I can give him he wants more than that ball. I usually use some form of subterfuge - not outright lying to him but being obscure enough that he can't be certain whether I want it to put away or to throw for him. The other thing that works is getting him worked up over leash tuggy or humping my arm or jumping up and down so that he drops it, and then being quick enough to grab his collar before he can pick it up again.
None of it worked today. He won. He's now triumphantly fondling it on the dog couch. I tried to use the "off switch" that I use to tell him to let go of leash tuggy - firmly take hold of it without pulling and say LET GO - and he glared at me over the top of it and came closer to growling at me in earnest than he ever has in his life.
I love having a dog I have to work hard to outthink. Luckily, my mother is on her way over to pick me up for family winterthing obligations. That will work.
Much later
That worked. But after I whipped the ball into the cupboard while he was greeting Mum, he broke my heart by searching frantically for it everywhere. And then I had to leave him.
Winterthing turned out pretty marvellous in the end. It's easy to forget what great people and great company my family are. Someone remind me of that when I'm working myself into a miserable funk this time next year. They're worth it. I am so damn lucky. I wish you all at least as much joy as I've been having.
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Glad you had fun.
From:
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Here is your early reminder: you have great family ;)
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Hope your cat and dog family are all keeping you busy and entertained and funk-free.
xxm