Each evening we go upstairs to change into our pajamas and to play "Closet Ball." As we change our clothes, Emme entertains herself by playing the PM version of "Go Get." She runs back and forth between us from the bedroom to the closet as we take off our clothes and put on PJ's. Rudy brings in a squeaky toy and wants us to throw it for him. The game started out years ago as "Closet Ball" because Rudy always chose a ball to bring upstairs. Over the years it has changed and now his current toy preference is any stuffie that has a squeaker inside, usually one that he has liberated from my sewing room. The name of the game hasn't changed because "Closet Squeaky" just doesn't have the same ring.
As I am sitting on the chair in the closet, Emme comes into the closet and lies down so I can rub her belly with either my bare feet or my socks. Either one is fine as long as her belly gets rubbed. She repeats this turn her belly up to be rubbed in the morning when I get dressed. As soon as I sit on the chair, Emme runs into the closet and lies on the floor for her rub. If she is too far away, she will wiggle on her back to get closer. She knows a good thing when she sees it. Belly rubbing with feet is good for Emme.
Not so for Rudy. If he is under the dining room table with a lovie, which he always is at breakfast, and accidentally gets touched by a foot, he hops up like he was touched with fire. He grabs his lovie and moves over, out of foot range.
How can two dogs be so different?
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1 comment:
How can do two dogs be so different? Good question!
I remember when training Chloe how mesmerized she was by my feet - following, nipping at them, and if I sat with my feet up on a chair or couch, she'd jump after my feet!
OK - here's a clue:
Small dogs relate to a person's feet.
How true it is when we meet strangers on a walk. If Chloe can approach their feet without them coming towards her (reaching, staring in her eyes), then she knows she's made it to home base and can now get their attention on her terms. If a person reaches out and walks toward her that she doesn't know, she is somewhat fearful.
Medium sized dogs relate to a person's knees.
And large dogs relate to a person's hip.
This is why a trainer may move his body a certain way when training dogs of different heights - using the hip to direct a large dog to turn, etc.
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