Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Our baseline video for the play class

This morning I didn't get Ricky jazzed up at all (not that I can), but I made a baseline video of his toy play, personal play and food play. He wouldn't interact with me at all except with food. I expected this. Then when attempting to download the vids to my computer, I accidentally erased them. Stupid.

This afternoon, I made another attempt. I cut up some cheese to use in the food play part. I left it downstairs and brought Ricky upstairs to make the new video. I got better results this time because he thought I had cheese. When he retrieves the glove in the toy play section, he does it because he is conditioned to get a treat reward for that. He will play with toys usually only if it is his idea. And he ends the game when he wants to. He barely does any personal play in the video. He loves games with my hands or fingers - he likes to bite at them and basically play cat-like games. Again only when he feels like it. And then of course, he is all about food and loves that part so much.

I really have no idea how to engage Ricky in play without food.




I am so excited to see what I learn in the next 6 weeks!

Chris and Ricky

8 comments:

Cowspotdog said...

After all of Rickies training ....that you give him a treat for amusing you....now you want him to train you to do something different......gosh you expect a lot from a little dog....you know how hard it is for us to train you humans

Sara said...

My dogs are more playful without toys. They love it when I run around the yard and play red light green light with them.

Ricky definitely got happy when you brought out the food! He's so cute!

He also seemed get excited about the toy when were at his side, rather in front of him.

I signed up for the boogeyman class. I'm so excited about learning new stuff! Wish I could've signed up for the gold level, but it was full. Maybe next time. I'll learn the play stuff vicariously through you!

Sara said...

Just read what I wrote and saw all the mistakes! Darn phone. I really do know how to write a sentence!

Unknown said...

Try a variety of things, and be really creative. I have one dog that won't play at ALL -- unless baby socks are involved. Socks must fit a 12 month old or younger. 6 mo preferred.

Try a tissue box. Show him how fun it is to yank them out. Teehee!

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

It seemed to me like- Ricky also liked that movement with the food play, he sure got happy in that part. I thought he seemed to be intrigued at first when you were playing with his feet in the personnel play. I think we will learn a bunch from class! So glad we are both doing it! And way cool we are videoing it, I think we will learn a lot just being able to watch ourselves! Great job!

Unknown said...

Ricky is so cute!

Eva will definitely opt for the food play! With treats in front of her, she is willing to do everything we want her to.

Arran, Arthur and Mum said...

I think he likes you clapping a lot. I clap Ludo and have started using that as a 'reward'. Since he seems to respond well to it.

I feel like Ricky was just thinking to himself, how do I get a treat out of this. lol!
Ludo will play and LOVES playing, unless there is food and then it is food time.
-Dee

Dawn said...

Wow, that was interesting! Katie is similar, in that she brings us a toy when she wants to play and when she's done she just goes and sits down. But last night she played by herself with her bable ball for a really long time. Started it by herself, played with it until it was under furniture, then barked at me till I got up and got it out, then played with it again. We were astounded.