When Pigs Fly_ Training Success With Impossible Dogs - Jane Killion [39]
We Are Not Leaving Until You Have Fun
Convincing Your Dog it’s Fun to Play
Every dog knew how to play when he was a puppy—some of them just have forgotten how. Your job is to remind them how to play, and to let them know that it’s OK to play with you. Not surprisingly, many biddable dogs have very high energy and a strong desire for play, especially for games that involve handler interaction, like fetch and tugging. That is very handy because, once again, it means a biddable dog’s main reinforcement is, to some degree, his handler. Your Pigs Fly dog might not care about toys or playing with you. You need to teach him to value those things so that you can put yourself in the center of his universe.
Let’s begin with that most basic of canine games, chasing a ball. I don’t know why, but lots of dogs go crazy for the magic orb. If your dog already loves chasing balls, be sure to spend a few minutes each day playing this game with him. Throwing a ball is nice light exercise for people of all ages and a great bonding activity to do with your dog. It is a wonderful thing that your dog can only get through you, and that increases your dog’s interest in you!
If you dog does not appear to like chasing a ball, try different types and sizes of balls. My dog Ursa is completely unmoved by a tennis or similarly sized ball, but will go insane for anything around the size of a soccer ball or larger. Literally, I cannot let her have a large ball because she will charge around the yard with it until the skin on her nose is bleeding and she is about to drop from exhaustion. Nicky is lukewarm to a hard rubber ball, but loves tennis balls so much that he becomes unhinged at even the smell of one. If there is a ¼ inch square of tennis ball material anywhere in a one acre enclosure, he will find it, pick it up, and stagger around in a fit of tennis ball-induced ecstasy. Cherry was equally enchanted by anything round regardless of the material it was made of, but it had to be small enough for her to pick it up. Experiment with different balls and see if any of them appeal to your dog.
Have you tried every single ball on the market already? When you throw the ball, does your dog still completely ignore it or look at you with a bubble above his head that says, “These humans are so strange. Why did she do that?” Here is how you can teach your dog to love playing with a ball.
1. Take a ball out and throw it in the back yard, then madly dash over to where it is and pick it up yourself. Just the fact that you have broken into a run is an attention getter, and your dog will probably stand there with a quizzical look on his face. This is a start—at least your dog will have noticed that Something Is Happening. If your physique does not permit a “mad dash,” any gait that is above your normal speed will pique your dog’s interest. Don’t invite your dog to join in the game, just run after the ball, pick it up, toss it in the air a couple of times while speaking nonsense in an excited voice, and throw it again. This is the point where you will be thankful for privacy fencing, because otherwise your neighbors will have their hands poised over their telephones, wondering if it is time finally to call and have you committed.
2. Usually somewhere in the first week, your dog will begin to trot after you as you run to get the ball. Eventually, your dog will work up to dashing off with you to get the ball. You may have to throw that ball for days, or even weeks, before your dog starts getting excited, but don’t get discouraged. Make sure you get to the ball first, pick it up like a hot potato, toss it from hand to hand like it’s burning your fingers, and then “accidentally” drop it so your dog can get it. Don’t offer it or try to get your dog to interact with it in any way. It’s that sense of snatching it from you that really lights up a dog. If your dog does not immediately leap on the ball when you drop it, quickly grab