I got home from working with a client a couple hours ago, so I took the dogs out for a run on the property. I sat under a tree in the garden, enjoying the shade, while the Scotties just ran amok trying to hunt down and kill every critter that dared to come into their yard.
Basil, of course, hung out close to me hoping to mooch treats from my pocket (which I always have when I'm out on the property with the dogs). His feet are still tender, so I didn't want to push it, but I tossed a few treats into the grass and did some short distance signal downs (maybe 6-10 feet away) and he did great! I also left him a couple times in a stand, and walked about 20 feet away, and he did both signal downs; the first one was slow, but the second was spot on. That's all I did, since he's still babying his feet, but I was pleased to see that he's "coming back to life" on signals. And also that I didn't ruin them permanently.
This weekend at the grocery store I plan to get some good treats. I tend to get stuck in a reinforcement rut and keep using the same stuff over and over again; I'm going to get some chicken breast, some chicken livers to make liver brownies, and some stuff for the food tube. Definitely more canned dog food, which is a big hit with all the dogs.
It was lovely sitting out under the tree with the dogs. What a gorgeous spring afternoon! And it's FRIDAY!!!!
