Wow, time has gone by fast. Kaiser is glad the blog is finally getting some much needed attention. We thought we’d get back into the swing of things by sharing a training tip that Rebekah uses on Charlotte the Schnauzer.
Charlotte, being a puppy, was having separation issues. She began to understand that she was about to be left alone for awhile as the family routinely left for the workday. The separation anxiety would make Charlotte ‘chatty’ which made mornings very stressful, especially when taking care of two kids.
Since nothing could change with the daily schedule, and consequently Charlotte’s alone time, Rebekah needed to come up with a way to keep Charlotte focused on something other than her impending isolation.
After trying strategies like positive reinforcement and placing treats in hidden places to make Charlotte work failed the family decided to try out one of Charlotte the Schnauzer’s favorite foods: Peanut Butter. Most of us know how much dogs love peanut butter, and yes it is safe for dogs. You can even stick it on the roof of your dog’s mouth if you want it to seem that your dog is talking to you and you are deaf.
So, Rebekah took some peanut butter and filled a Kong toy and then placed it in the freezer. By freezing the PB in the Kong the treat lasts much longer. After a few minutes Charlotte is presented the treat and then spends the next half hour licking her Kong to death. It’s been working like magic and helps keep Charlotte delightfully distracted as the family leaves for the day.
The BusterCube has also worked like a charm with Charlotte as she will spend 45 minutes or more to get the dry food out of the puzzle. The toy has different settings to change the level of difficulty and proves to be a great source of fun for her. Often times she is exhausted after eating and this toy has brought much joy and happiness into the household.
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Tags: Charlotte, Dog, Mini Schnauzer, petco, Toys
November 4th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
great tips – I love the buster cube too, especially since you can change the level of difficulty (keep those smart doggies interested)!
November 4th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Hmm, I have a Kong, but I’ll have to check out the Buster Cube! Thanks for the adivce!
November 8th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Hi Kaiser – great post! Like Oskar we have a Kong (each!) but no Buster Cube, we’re gonna have to check this out! We love the idea of frozen peanut butter – yummy! Schnauzer snuggles – JD and Max.
November 20th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Hi Kaiser,
Found your blog thru Oskar’s blog. The Buster Cube sure looks interesting
Woof,
Cobi
November 25th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Hey Kaiser,
We found your blog just hopping around diff sites. We just set up our site, and we were wondering if we could link you to ours?
Woof,
Maui and Hilo
December 7th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
@maui and hilo sorry for the slow reply. that’d be great though. we look forward to seeing your blog grow.