Earthdog Playtime

Norma Mullins told me you can't start earthdog training your new puppy soon enough. She suggested making tunnels out of boxes and incorporating the tunnels in playtime. We just happened to have some extra boxes in the garage and I cut 6" x 7" holes in each end of 3 boxes. Our plan is get Winston comfortable going through one box. Later we will add additional boxes one at a time as his confidence grows. After we add the third box, we will incorporate a turn or two.

I taped 1 box to the floor and laid down a 'bread crumb' string of puppy treats from the entrance of one hole to the exit at the other end. Kelli introduced Winston to the 'front door' and tempted him with the first treat. I moved to the other end of the box and encouraged Winston to eat the trail of treats through the tunnel. Winston had other ideas. First of all, he didn't like how dark it was inside the box and expressed considerable worry that the inside might not be safe. Besides, he didn't see us going in there and the big guys always lead the way.




Winston nibbled on the treats up to and just inside the box and then withdrew. However, he could smell and see the string of treats inside the box and he wanted them. Winston sat looking at the box and we watched him start problem solving. Suddenly the solution came to him. Winston cautiously made a big semi circle around the OUTSIDE of the box and found the other end of the box. Here he could easily pick off 3 more treats without getting anymore than his head in the box.

We repeated the exercise 2 more times before the lure of tasty treats overcame his fear and Winston worked his way through the box. Good going, Winston! We'll do it again tomorrow.