We were talking about me trying to get Luna to carry her dummy home, instead of my shopping..... I tried that today.... And here's a pic... Its not good, cos it was getting dark, it was raining, its taken on the mobile phone camera and she decided to move as I took the pic She carried it most of the way, but almost home, she dropped it. I got her to take it (with a bit of help from me Basically I took it from the ground put it in her mouth and told her to hold) And then after a few secs, I told her to let go and she did... Then we walked for a bit and I then stopped, made her sit and threw the dummy, and she did an almost perfect retrieve.. I think we are gonna bring the dummy with us again the next time we shop
Thats good news J, glad she carried it for you and it will get her use to it. Dont be about telling her to hold it sometimes they need that extra push ;-) It just about Luna thinking that the dummys fun so she wants to carry it.
Thank you Nat But I've been told over and over again, that I'm not supposed to take the dummy of the ground.. Luna is supposed to take it.. But I cant get her to do it :? But I'm happy she carried it at all.. I actually thought she would just drop it...
So after a while she dropped it and didnt want to carry it again, until you told her to hold it? How about not making her carry it all the way, it sounds to me like she is bored of it, because she has had to carry it for along time and you dont want her to think its borring. When I take Oscar dummy out for walks etc and let him carry it, I make it fun like 'what ive got here' so he wants it (which he alwalys does anyway ) let him carry it for abit then take it off him, leave it a min then let him carry it again, so its less like he has to do it and more that he wants to do it. So when Luna sees the dummy she associates that with something good and fun . Does that make sense? I might be wrong but thats what worked for me
It makes sense Nat, and that was my intention, but I just let it go too long... Next time I'll take it off her earlier..
Got your pic on the phone J Well done Luna :smt038 It did work after all and you found out that "using" her habbit of getting something to carry after shopping can be used to solve your conflict with the dummy. Congratulations and I hope you´re proud of her. Its brill Nat has made an excellent point and her advice would be the way I would go too. The key is to make the objects you want her to retrieve for you irresistable and someting she´s just dying to get permission to. By limit the acces to her carrying the dummy, not only do you (hopefully) wake her interst, but you also etasblis that you are in charge of when and what. And while doing this, its important to figure out how to give her most succes and positive experiences so that she combins it with fun, a happy mum and rewards Theres nothing wrong with you picking it up if she droops it and tells her to "hold", but the best thing would be that it didnt come to her dropping in. That you read when she´s tired of it, her mind is elsewhere and then asks for it and bring focus back to you. I would not do the retrieves when I got home but start out with as you do, letting her getting a fun and wanted "relationsship" with dummies...whatever they are like. When she shows exciting maybe try throwing one, but make sure she sees it as an reward and you dont start up another conflict. maybe somewhere on the way home but still far away from actual home so you have her full attention and has options incase she starts to disobey you? Buttomline today is that you did excellent and dont ever be embarresed about anything She´s gorg and today shows you can if you want to ;-)
Thank you AM Yeah she's a good little girl I will take the dummy with me on our walks and try this again. And no retrieving in the end
This isnt going to add much advice purely only to echo Natasha and Amts Try to get her holding her dummy is short sessions, and not to go on for a long time so she doesnt get bored, I always used to get mine excited before they did anything with the dummies in the same way Natasha said she does, by saying 'What have I got' etc in an excited voice, my dogs always react and go silly when I put on an excited voice. By doing that Luna will think it's going to be a great game and wont get bored
Hi all its been a while since i visited the "club" but thought id give you an update on gemmas progress, as you may remember i said i dint "work" gemma but as she loves to carry things i thought id encourage this so every morning we go and get the letters (we've got an outside box ) and gem carrys them back to the house for me , also i ask her to fetch my slippers , or daddys boots, all sorts of things, i know its not really working but she enjoys it , i will try and get some pics of her carrying some things , just remembered while we were out walking recently we saw a women working her dog with a dummy , really wonderful to watch , i thought i might make some enquireys about local training groups .
