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...or, The Meatball Diaries.
The (ultimate) object of the exercise is to have Squish coming instantly when he hears the word "meatball", no matter what he's doing. I'm using "meatball" because he's already in the habit of ignoring the more conventional "Squishy, come!" unless he feels like it - much better to have a new phrase that I can build the right associations round without having to overwrite previous associations.
Bought two packs of Swedish meatballs - let me tell you, these things are dog crack. Even Spike will do anything for them. They're about an inch across, so I spent half an hour this morning chopping them into eighths - then to the actual training.
Step one is to teach the dog that the word "meatball" means Good Things. So I had a little bowl of meatball and every now and again, lots and lots and lots of times through the day, say "Meatball" then give Squish a chunk of meatball. Since we were indoors, he comes running as soon as I say anything to him anyway. Also took a pocketful with me when I took them out, and meatballed him once or twice on every trip round the block. Already his head snaps toward me every time he hears the word.
Tomorrow I'm going to get him to chase me for meatballs indoors. I know he'll do that and it'll help fix the run-to-mummy association in his head. I also have to take them out for a long ball session tomorrow - more for Spike's sake, because we didn't have any off-leash time today and he'll be psycho!Spike if I do that to him two days in a row. Not entirely sure how to work the meatballing in with the ball game, or if I should even try yet. Squish isn't very good at thinking of two things at once.
[Poll #654426]
The (ultimate) object of the exercise is to have Squish coming instantly when he hears the word "meatball", no matter what he's doing. I'm using "meatball" because he's already in the habit of ignoring the more conventional "Squishy, come!" unless he feels like it - much better to have a new phrase that I can build the right associations round without having to overwrite previous associations.
Bought two packs of Swedish meatballs - let me tell you, these things are dog crack. Even Spike will do anything for them. They're about an inch across, so I spent half an hour this morning chopping them into eighths - then to the actual training.
Step one is to teach the dog that the word "meatball" means Good Things. So I had a little bowl of meatball and every now and again, lots and lots and lots of times through the day, say "Meatball" then give Squish a chunk of meatball. Since we were indoors, he comes running as soon as I say anything to him anyway. Also took a pocketful with me when I took them out, and meatballed him once or twice on every trip round the block. Already his head snaps toward me every time he hears the word.
Tomorrow I'm going to get him to chase me for meatballs indoors. I know he'll do that and it'll help fix the run-to-mummy association in his head. I also have to take them out for a long ball session tomorrow - more for Spike's sake, because we didn't have any off-leash time today and he'll be psycho!Spike if I do that to him two days in a row. Not entirely sure how to work the meatballing in with the ball game, or if I should even try yet. Squish isn't very good at thinking of two things at once.
[Poll #654426]
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