tRicky T-Day!

My friends Johann and Gracie posted their "take off sock" trick last week and it looked like so much fun that I wanted to try it! Mom thought it would be another good lesson for us in shaping a trick. In our first session, mom said "yes" and treated me for touching the sock with my nose, then for touching it or almost biting it with my mouth. And then she tried to only say "yes" if I grabbed it (even ever so gently) with my mouth. During our second session, mom finally got smart and put the sock on VERY loosely (only really on her toes) and then upped the ante by only saying "yes" if I pulled on the sock and eventually only when I pulled it off! We edited a lot of video out - we didn't want you to sit through 8 minutes of me just touching the sock or digging or lying on the floor. It is exhausting to learn tricks this way - having to think on my own! I much prefer being told or shown what to do! In the next session mom is going to use an even smaller sock. BTW, my shaping treats are cheerios - they are good for me because I get the reward but it's not a treat that excites me so much that I can't think straight! The other interesting thing about this sock trick is that I love socks - I have one that I tug on all the time. But you'd never know it from how cautiously I approach this sock on mom's foot! You would think I never tugged on anything before in my life! I know, weird!!! What can I say?

Gotta zoom!

Ricky