Trick Training

So Magics last trick/acting class is next Thursday and for "graduation" he needs to show off a trick that he has learned outside of the class.  The trainer also wants us to have the trick include more than one action if possible.  So Magic and I spent the weekend trying out several different things to see if we could come up with something to show.  Let me just mention that I SUCK as a trainer, so any failures are all my fault.

First I though maybe I could have him put a can in the recycle bin. That would be useful around the house too. Nope, the sound of cans dropping into the recycle bin sort of freaked him out.   He will pick up and carry a soda can crushing and puncturing it- think that could be his trick, the soda can crusher? No, I didnt think so either. And really our recycle can is a bit high for him to easily drop things in. (I know I can amend it for the trick, so maybe)

Then since I have a cold and was going through kleenex at an alarming rate, I thought maybe I could teach him to get me a kleenex. (selfish I know) Well that was fun, but many, many kleenex were harmed in the making of that trick. As in the 4 dogs managed to shred not 1 but 2 large boxes over the course of the weekend when I in my illness daze managed to leave them unattended.

So now, I have changed my focus and we are working on a couple of new ideas. Since it was so nice outside yesterday, we went outside and started to work on riding the skateboard.  Then inside I started working on a food retrieve. ( I planned on using a hotdog, but was out so used string cheese instead.) Magic will take and hold the cheese, but won't pick it up off the floor yet.  Not sure why, but we are working on that now.  I am going to get some hotdogs today and train with those tonight.

Oh yeah, and I also picked up an easter basket for Magic. He will pick it up and carry it, but often forgets to use the handle. We are working on that as well.

I know it sounds like we have been all over the place, but you can train a lot in short 3 minute bursts. Other than tossing in some obedience work, I havent been doing mutliple things in one session. So although Magic got about 6 short sessions yesterday, each one worked only one trick.

I sure hope he is having some fun with this, I know I am.

Peace learns a new trick, or How to kill Mom

Last fall we put up a 3 foot fence to try to keep the corgis out of part of the yard once spring came to try to save some portion of the remaining grass.  Well, over the winter Peace  learned to leap the 3 foot fence. (Note to self, dont even bother next fall)  In the process of all of this, she had managed to bend the top down a bit so it flops over and makes it shorter, but a bit wider.this made access for all 5 dogs.  No problem for the athletic corgis, jumping in, but for some reason sometimes Peace pretends like she can't jump out. Might have something to do with not wanting to, because I have seen her go both ways many times.  The new trick is she comes to the side of the fence and jumps into your arms to lift her over.

Well that was the trick until last night.  Last night Peaceful decided to leap over the fence with a running start into waiting Moms chest, knocking her right off her feet. Imagine landing smack on your butt with 30+ pounds of dog careening into you. Knocked the breath out of me, knocked my head on the ground, then she proceeded to do a happy dance on my chest while licking my face.  I bet the neighbors loved that one. Oh I hurt today!

Help put dog food into the food shelves!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUQbxfyMYpc

Please go view the video link above.  Cargill will donate more food to the Second Harvest Food Bank if they get 10,000 hits.   Help a family keep their pets during hard times.  Thank You.

Music!

Isn't he a cutie! Thanks for the picture Joyce!

Grace pulled yesterday too

Its Grace in the picture. Granted, she is telling me that hey she already did this once and is NOT going to do it again. She actually turned around right after this picture and went to hop up on the cart instead.  But her one pull that she did at 300 pounds was 9.6 times her body weight, so her first leg. My girl the princess, is just not one for doing something AGAIN!

Todays weight pull-caution, not a pretty picture

Thanks for the nice comments yesterday.  Today Magic pulled 521 and then I withdrew him. Now thats not horrible or anything, but I know he can go higher if he would just try. It did earn another 10 points toward his championship.

The new harness is just too wide in front and between his legs, so he cannot get comfortable and is trying to pull with one front leg off the ground. Not the best plan. So we will get a different harness.  I am going to order another one tomorrow. Narrower for my narrow boy.

The hero of the pull today had to have been Casenova the Papillon.  This little guy was the smallest dog pulling today, weighing in at just over 7 pounds.  He pulled over 400 which is 63 times his body weight.  63 times! That was the largest percentage over bodty weight of all the dogs there. He was simply a beast today.

Now, other than my huge rear- anyone notice whats wrong in the picture below?

545

Magic only pulled 545 today. He does NOT like his new harness.  I guess we will order a different one. But that was enough to earn him 10 more points toward his weight pull championship.  No pictures today, David went along but he was working the cart so couldnt take pictures.