January 25, 2024: woohooo!

I got the fridge-temperature beer can delivered to hand in between two rice-can reps, but off screen – so not sharing that video.

January 28, 2024: phone success and another fridge-temperature can video

I got the phone 3 times in a row! Woohooo! I didn’t add any easy objects; just did 3 spontaneous phone reps. Phone – check! Crossing it off the object-goals list!

I also repeated the fridge temperature can, this time on video – no easy objects. Chai dropped it a few times, but did well enough for me to decide it is ready to be crossed off my object goals list as well. Definitely not using this can again; we have dropped it too often for it to still be safe. Will occasionally repeat with new cans or new rice-filled cans.

Our updated object goals list:

Wallet, credit card, keys, phone, beer can, bank bill, full plastic bottles, coin, porcelain mug, thermos mug, leash handle, retractable leash, keys, silverware.

Easy-objects list:

• 20-peso bill (Jan. 9, 2024)
• Spoon (Jan. 10, 2024)
• Fork (Jan. 24, 2024)
• Coin (Jan. 12, 2024)
• Keys (Jan. 11 & January 14, 2024)
• Poop bag roll (Jan. 24, 2024)
• Wallet (Jan. 17 & Jan. 18, 2024)
• Rice-filled can (Jan. 21, & Jan. 22 & Jan 23 & Jan. 24, 2024)
• Porcelain mug
• Highlighter
• Phone
• (Rice-filled) can

February 5, 2024: thermos mug success!

Today, I used the familiar porcelain mug in combination with the second mug – a new one for Chai: the thermos mug (thank you, Chris). I thought the familiar mug might make a good introduction to the new one. Turns out the thermos mug was much easier for Chai than the porcelain mug! I’ll remove the porcelain mug from the easy-objects list (I don’t want it to break if Chai keeps tossing it around like this) and replace it with the thermos one instead. That’s the one I use (and drop) more often anyways.

Updated object goals list:

Wallet, credit card, keys, phone, beer can, bank bill, full plastic bottles, coin, porcelain mug, thermos mug, leash handle, retractable leash, keys, silverware.

Easy objects list:

• 20-peso bill (Jan. 9, 2024)
• Spoon (Jan. 10, 2024)
• Fork (Jan. 24, 2024)
• Coin (Jan. 12, 2024)
• Keys (Jan. 11 & January 14, 2024)
• Poop bag roll (Jan. 24, 2024)
• Wallet (Jan. 17 & Jan. 18, 2024)
• Rice-filled can (Jan. 21, & Jan. 22 & Jan 23 & Jan. 24, 2024)
• Thermos mug
• Highlighter
• Phone
• (Rice-filled) can

February 6, 2023: retractable leash success and thermos mug struggles

I’ve been slowing down a bit since I’ve gotten a little tired of this trick – I’m ready to switch to another one! – but I am determined to make it through my fetchable objects list first! So here we are again, using the thermos mug as an easy object to get more reps in and the retractable leash as a new object. Turns out the thermos mug was harder today than yesterday! Chai did it though, but good thing we kept it in the rotation. The retractable leash turned out to be surprisingly easy. I’ll bold the thermos mug in my easy objects list to remember to use it again soon. The retractable leash has another session to look forward to as well – next time playing the part of the easy object.

Updated object goals list:

Wallet, credit card, keys, phone, beer can, bank bill, full plastic bottles, coin, porcelain mug, thermos mug, leash handle, retractable leash, keys, silverware.

Easy-objects list:

• 20-peso bill (Jan. 9, 2024)
• Spoon (Jan. 10, 2024)
• Fork (Jan. 24, 2024)
• Coin (Jan. 12, 2024)
• Keys (Jan. 11 & January 14, 2024)
• Poop bag roll (Jan. 24, 2024)
• Wallet (Jan. 17 & Jan. 18, 2024)
• Rice-filled can (Jan. 21 & Jan. 22 & Jan 23 & Jan. 24, 2024)
• Thermos mug (Feb. 6, 2024 & Feb. 20, 2024)
• Highlighter (Feb. 20, 2024)
• Phone
• (Rice-filled) can
• Retractable leash (Feb. 8, 2024)

Next session(s):

• Do a mug game with yogurt on the handle before using the thermos mug again.

February 8, 2024: checking off the credit card goal!

Today, I took a break from mugs and used the retractable leash as an easy object. Go Chai! I also did a few more credit card rounds. I set myself a goal that would allow me to check credit cards off my fetchable objects list: pick up the bent/chewed-on card from the floor, whichever side is up, and pick up a new flat card (no tape, no raised numbers) from the puzzle mats. This was my compromise for actual credit cards on the floor (the only useless plastic card I had didn’t only not have raised numbers but was only half as “tall” as a credit card). I would have loved to try an un-chewed credit card with the numbers facing the floor on the floor itself, but I only have the one I still use and don’t want it to potentially die between the teeth of a Border Collie. I’ll just have to wait until it expires; in the meantime, the other card was a good compromise. Chai did great with these three tasks. Which means I get to check off credit cards! Go (not so) puppy!

Also, random note: I wish the flag on the wall behind me was Valentino Vecchetti’s updated one. I’ll give it away this year or swap it for the new one. It bothers me every time I see it on video. That said, as by my rule that I only keep things I use, it’ll stay up for now.

We now only have one new object left: a leather leash. I’ll swap in the thermos mug for this one, but only after giving Chai a chance to lick yogurt off its handle.

Updated object-goals list:

Wallet, credit card, keys, phone, beer can, bank bill, full plastic bottles, coin, porcelain mug, thermos mug, leash handle, retractable leash, keys, silverware.

February 10, 2024: licking yogurt and granola of the thermos mug handle and giving the leather leash a try!

My goal with this food toy is to make it more likely Chai will pick up the mug by the handle in our fetch anything sessions.

Unfortunately, the session we had after – thermos mug and leash handle – didn’t go as I had hoped: Chai didn’t target the handle of the mug and continued struggling to pick it up. The leash handle did not appear pick-up-able to her at all. Before having another leash handle session, I’ll try dipping it in something delicious. The other route would be to cut off the handle and teach Chai to pick up just that part – but I don’t want to ruin my leash unless I have to.

February 11, 2024: licking sweet cream off the leash handle

Again, my goal here is to make the handle of the leash the most appealing part to be picked up. The last time we tried, Chai didn’t pick up the leash at all. This time, I dipped it in sweet cream and turnd it into a food toy: I hoped she would carry it to the couch after (as she likes to do with most found treasures) if I just left it on the floor, but Chai wasn’t interested once she had finished her sweet cream feast.

February 20, 2024: highlighter, thermos mug, cut-off leash handle … and leash handle attached to a leash on a dog! Go Chai!

We had a bit of a break because our training time was spent videoing new demo videos – both Game and Chai got to play!

Now we’re back for more “Gimme” and taking another stab at the last object on our fetchable object goals list: the elusive leash handle!

I admitted defeat: having Chai lick tasty stuff off the handle of my old leash didn’t transfer to picking it up. So I cut the handle off my current leather leash (sniff), bought an identical one, taught Chai to hand me the cut-off handle and then the handle on the actual (new) leash.

This is the session with just the leash handle piece I’ve cut off. I’ve already added Game to the picture because in the final scenario I imagine using this skill, there will be a dog on the other end of the leash I drop:

After a break, I had another session – the break-through one! We can now retrieve leashes and will pick them up by their handle!

Wallet, credit card, keys, phone, beer can, bank bill, full plastic bottles, coin, porcelain mug, thermos mug, leash handle, retractable leash, keys, silverware!

I get to cross off my last object on the retrievable objects list. Wohoo! Mission accomplished! Before generalizing the behavior to new environments, we’ll take a break from this trick. Time to work on something else for a while – I’m ready for a change!