Category: Fun Stuff ¤
  Author: Laurie Telfair ¤
   Title: Laurie's Fun With the Box ¤

 Laurie has had some trouble gettin her posts out so I agreed to forward 
this for her.  Just be sure to swallow youe coffee before you start because
its hard to laugh without spitting it everywhere.


From: LTelfair@aol.com

Thought you might get a chuckle out of this 

Started yesterday on the Choose To Heel (trademarked name).  This involves
first step of having dog target hand with food in it as you walk backwards
having dog follow in basically heel position (only you are backwards).  Once
dog targets hand, you begin walking in a large counterclockwise circle and
when dog gets in correct position, you reward with food, praise, and (its not
in her method) a click.  Then you pivot out of position and continue walking,
rewarding dog as it zips back into position for its food, praise reward.
 That's the theory.
So I go into the backyard since this is to be done off lead if you have a
safe place.  I'll use the pronoun they because the two horrors basically did
the same thing, although Mike was a little more responsive.  I worked each
one separately.  Anyway, here goes.  I get dog's attention and back up.
 He/she follows, just like the book.  For four or five bites (and they were
hungrey and I was using good bait.)  Then it was time to chase Princess or
check out Houston. Or just fart around.  Get dog's attention.  Back up.
Repeat process.  Switch to walking in circle to see if that will hold
interest.  Ah yes, it does.  Dogs practice zipping past me at speed of sound,
then looking over shoulder to see if I follow.  Try sneaking away, as
suggested in book.  Dog theoretically wants to know where mom is and will pay
attention.
Dog notices mom gone.  Not to worry. Dog puts nose to ground and tracks mom
to hiding place in bushes.  Collect reward. Mom walks backward.  Dog, having
found mom, fence runs with Princess.  Mom gives up. Will try again with
leash.

Later, tries 101 Things To Do With a Box.  Put shallow box floor.  Get
treats. Pups see treats. Ignore box. I sit on couch, put treats under my
legs. Pups try to nudge me off couch to get treats. Ignore box. Faith glances
at box. c/t. Faith decides she will run through her collection of sits and
drops.  Mike keeps trying to move me off treats.  Faith looks at box again.
c/t.  Faith wanders toward box. c/t. Faith goes to her toy box and get
favorite toy.  Mike chases Faith for favorite toy. I throw treat in box.
Faith decides that is a drop command. She drops.  Mike goes for water, passes
box.  I c/t.  He ignores click and continues to water.  Nobody sees treat in
box.  Mike comes back toward me, passes box. I c/t. He wanders aroound and
sees treat in box.  Eats treat. I c/t.  Faith plays with toy.  I get bored
and begin to watch TV movie that is halfway over.  Dogs nap.  Faith wakes up
and sees box. Takes bite out of it.  I click.  She ignores click and begins
to shred box.  Mike gets interested and tries to take box away from her.  I
click.  Both dogs ignore click and play tug of war with box.  Mike wins and
races around the house with box.  Faith grabs and they tear box in two.  They
proceed to reduce box to confetti and then nap on the pieces.  I watch rest
of TV movie.

Laurie