Monday, November 12, 2007

Anything you can do, I can do better!


I was reminded of that Irving Berlin song today while playing with Hope.
   Anything you can do, I can do better
I can do any thing better than you
No you can't, Yes I can, No you can't, Yes I can
No you can't, Yes I can, yes I can
Veri who usually alternates between watching, snoozing and romping during my time with Hope and Si as her stuff is all about relaxing, self control etc has decided they've been hogging this clicker stuff far too long! She trotted up, looked at the bowl of treats near me, sniffed and promptly sat, looking at me clearly asking, "Please may I have one?" in her very best manners. She of course got clicked and rewarded for having asked and was chuffed with herself. All my dogs like clicker of course but she's the only one who is clearly impressed with herself and her own cleverness!

So today she joined in and picked up how to:
target using a target wand (stationary, different positions, a bit of momentment)
drop (from one position only)
sit at a distance (2 meters) and from different positions (in front of me, on my right, left, various spots in the yard, driveway etc)
shape the beginning of leg weaves - she'll follow the target wand through and around one leg and shaped is up to entering about 5"

Drop was actually quite funny because at first she wasn't sure... this wasn't sit and it wasn't touch and those are the two tricks in her bag atm. Eventually she did figure it out and went, "AH ha! Oh, I am just so very clever!" She was really tickled with herself and rolled around around the grass, legs akimbo, grunting and groaning happily and nibbling my fingers lightly. "You're a clever girlie Veri!" I teased her, scratching just under her chin She looked up with smiling eyes, tail lazily thumping mid-roll and if she could speak she'd have said, "I know! Aren't I just!" PMSL!

Meanwhile Hope isn't sure what to make of this turn of events. She kept coming up to nudge me during Veri's turns. "But MUM! *I* can do that! I *know* that! That's *MY* trick! You're suppoooosseeeedd toooo pllllaaay with meeeeeee!!!!!"

Anyhow that's the day. All the pics are ones taken of the girls practicing 'down' together. You can't half tell they're sisters can you?!?

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