Today is supposed to be my first teaching class. One student emailed me and said she drives 2 hours to get to class and needs to know before 6 if class is cancelled! I wrote Nedra asking her if she could start letting us know by 4 p.m. Now it's just piddle around and try to rest up while waiting for an answer. Bummer! I was all psyched up for class tonight. Like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, waiting is a skill that requires peace of mind.
Time to fiddle. Tracey sent me a recipe for a dog treat she calls Tuna Brownies so I made it. I changed the name to Tuna Putty because it's the color of putty and feels like putty in my hands. You can roll it in a ball, tear off little pieces, it doesn't stick to your fingers and doesn't crumble either. Great for storing unwrapped in your pockets. My dogs all love it, and it's acceptable human food as well (especially if you add the cheese -- which I did not). It's such a pain to have to find the opening to a zip lock bag stuffed inside your pocket, or unzip a treat pouch, every time you need a treat. Easier to reach for the ball.
I've added the recipe to my Dog Treats and Recipes page. Try it out. It's easy to make, and inexpensive.
Yesterday on the field working with Max and Lucky, and afterwards at Joy's, working with Puddin' and Lucky indoors, I did some more practice with clicker training. Once you get your D conditioned to respond to the clicker as if it were a treat (salivating pleasure response), you can train on the run and from a distance, click good down contacts and great weave exits from 10 feet away, etc. Boy that sure comes in handy! My clicker is going to be a great training partner. I've started hanging mine around my neck with a long enough cord so the clicker fits in my scrubs pocket when not in use. One more thing to remember to bring.
Sheryl and I think someone should invent a finger clicker that you wear like a ring on your thumb, or like castinettes on 2 fingers.
Lucky hands the end of her new leash to Puddin' |
Joy gave Lucky a brand new tug leash (never had one of those before, a short felt braid intertwined with strong rope she had ordered from a vendor, and just Lucky's purple color). We put it on Lucky, and within seconds Lucky handed the other end to Puddin, and Puddin started tugging her all around the house. This went on for 20 minutes. It was so adorable. Such beautiful, intelligent, caring, loving animals. Yes, I think they've bonded!
Puddin leads Lucky around the house. |
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