Scenthound R KNOT Us

[EllenEveBaz]

The dogs share a piece of processed cheese : every morning before breakfast.  We started this last year when Milo was not feeling or eating well.  Cheeze was the one certain thing.  Now he's feeling greyt, but they feel constitutionally entitled to cheeze before breakfast.  

I toss torn pieces to the dogs.  Sometimes my aim is not perfect and the hound must stand up and root around in the blankets for the MIA piece.  You'd think -- cheeze, strang scent, easy-to-find even for sighthounds, right?  Wrong!  They quickly give up and lie back down again, staring at me with deprived and accusatory eyes.  

[FiveRoooooers]

That's too much werk  Love the tradition, tho! 

[Jerilyn]

I'm so glad to hear that Milo is feeling great!

Have you had the panic of wondering what the weird growth is on the naked houndie undercarriage that upon inspection turns out to be the missing piece of cheese? 

[LBass]

  What a lovely morning tradition. 

[ramonaghan]

Well, even though his smeller's knot too impressive, I am very glad to hear Milo's feeling good again. (And also glad it's just cheese that gets lost and knot any parts of his victims from the yard.)

12 minutes ago, Jerilyn said:

Have you had the panic of wondering what the weird growth is on the naked houndie undercarriage that upon inspection turns out to be the missing piece of cheese? 

I have, I have!  It's really alarming when it's string cheese.

Edited May 4, 2023 by ramonaghan

[racindog]

Wanna have some more fun with them?  Restrain them(you can put them in a crate or behind baby gate or tie up etc) from being able to come and get their cheeze but let them watch you put it on the blanket- make it very easy. Always Gin them up as you are doing it with a little excited talk. Then go to them and ask them if they want their piece of cheese etc ginning them up some more then say 'search' and set them free.  The hound should just run over and get his cheese.  Do it a few times. The next day either repeat or make it just a little harder-maybe put almost under blanket. Be sure and let the hound watch you so he knows where its at. Wash rinse and repeat. Gin the hound up, say search & release the hound from the restraint.   In only a few days, if that long, the hound will have figured out this new fun cheeze game and want to "play." Increase the difficulty of the hide gradually and and one day when you can see they understand the game don't let them see you place the cheeze.  Just make it an easy find and release them. So now you have them looking for it themselves on command without knowing where or if the cheeze is there! When they find it-even from the very first time-make a BIG BIG DEAL out of how wonderful it is that they found it. Always tell them how good they were to find it and praise them. Be excited for them. And never do any corrections or anything negative when it is game time.  This really doesn't take long.  Most greyhounds have PLENTY of hunt drive and I think you will be amazed at how quick you can teach them to search on command.  Of course as the game goes on you will want to put it in other places besides just the blanket.  They'll search for it like always and they will find it.  Start with real easy hides behind a small piece of furniture etc and just increase difficulty as they gain experience. It won't take long before you'll have them even being able to find it inside drawers etc.  Just leave the door cracked open at first to make it easy for the first couple times. And just like that you are doing room searches! As you increase the difficulty you can put more than 1 hide in their search area.  What a lucky dog! TWO pieces of cheeze! You know they will be having great fun with this game. Easy peasy and they would really enjoy it-as would you! 

[GreyPoopon]

Dontcha know that if you toss badly, you're supposed to retrieve it for them?