I've been using a scrap of 1x12 board, about a 18 inches long, as a marker for Lyric to stand on while trying to get her to work at a distance on a few behaviors. Because she always wants to be right on top of me at all times, she constantly tries to creep forward (should be great at crawling when we get around to that), so I used this scrap of wood just to start with, and give her a target outside. (Inside she has a matt/rug thing--I was just too lazy to go in and get it)
Things were going well for a few days--she knows to go to it, and that she's supposed to stay at that spot while doing some very basic behaviors at about 7 feet away from me. THEN she figures out how to scoot the board forward with her nose and quickly jump back onto it with both front feet, tail wagging, expecting a reward for this brilliant new behavior she has offered up.
Today I'm going to the hardware store to look for better equipment.
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France
Chris Carlton/Lyric
Facebook page.
