I have become

[Shetlander]

....Wile E. Coyote

 

Sorry about the title of this thread. I hit some key and posted before I had finished typing the topic name.

 

 

So, Quinn has become quite the menace of a counter surfer. Last week, I set up a ridiculous trap on my desk at work with a couple of pop cans, a tin container, some metal pieces for hanging folders. They were stacked so that if Quinn pulled at a bag of kibble, they'd fall with a clatter. I told my office mate not to say anything if Quinn went after it when I left the office. She told me that after I stepped out, he immediately jumped into my chair, looked at the kibble and surrounding items, then jumped down and curled up on the love seat. It was too stoopidly obvious for such a smart boy. He never glanced at it again and I spent the rest of the afternoon knocking into it since it was on my desk,

 

 

Ok, back at the ranch. I purchased a scat mat and when it arrived on Friday, I took it out of the box, unrolled it and put it on the counter. I didn't turn it on, just left it out so Quinn would get used to it before realizing it could zap. I didn't say a word but maybe I was smiling too big because after I had it on the counter, he looked at it, looked at me, then left the room. Every so often he'd sniff it, then give me a dark expression. Yesterday, I finally turned the mat on and placed a cookie towards the end when Quinn wasn't around. A bit later, I heard his paws hit the floor in the kitchen, the sound he makes when he is pulling his big clodhoppers off the counter. He came partially into the living room, gave me an unfriendly glance, then lied down to the side of where I was sitting with his butt facing me. He never does that. It was clearly <Shun On>.

 

 

A couple hours later, I put a small piece of ham on the mat. Afterwards, I heard a couple little static noises (basically these are static shocks -- unpleasant but not painful -- I tested it on me) followed by the thump of his paws. He came into the living room, snapped his teeth at me, but did deign to jump on the sofa next to me. A bit later, I heard the paws again, this time he came into the living room to give a low little howl. Since he only howls when he's happy, I took that as a sign he was maybe finding this funny. Or he wanted me to feed him since he couldn't get the food off the counter and it was close to dinner time.

 

 

After dinner, I put a piece of turkey on the mat and gave him a bit of the cookie when he brought me his bowl. He did go check the counter once or twice more (based on the thumping feet), but didn't take any of the food. As the evening wore on, I gave the dogs the ham, then the turkey and finally the cookie.

 

 

I think Quinn may be working on a way to come at the food from above -- perhaps suspended from the ceiling, Mission Impossible style. Probably all he is really learning is he can't get food that is on a scat mat. My hope is this will be part of an attempt to get him thinking about counters being off limits. A girl can dream, can't she?

 

Well, if nothing else this can be a weird little game to play with my Border Collie this winter. Something to pass the time until the sun returns.

[ejano]

....Wile E. Coyote

 

Sorry about the title of this thread. I hit some key and posted before I had finished typing the topic name.

So, Quinn has become quite the menace of a counter surfer. Last week, I set up a ridiculous trap on my desk at work with a couple of pop cans, a tin container, some metal pieces for hanging folders. They were stacked so that if Quinn pulled at a bag of kibble, they'd fall with a clatter. I told my office mate not to say anything if Quinn went after it when I left the office. She told me that after I stepped out, he immediately jumped into my chair, looked at the kibble and surrounding items, then jumped down and curled up on the love seat. It was too stoopidly obvious for such a smart boy. He never glanced at it again and I spent the rest of the afternoon knocking into it since it was on my desk,

 

 

Ok, back at the ranch. I purchased a scat mat and when it arrived on Friday, I took it out of the box, unrolled it and put it on the counter. I didn't turn it on, just left it out so Quinn would get used to it before realizing it could zap. I didn't say a word but maybe I was smiling too big because after I had it on the counter, he looked at it, looked at me, then left the room. Every so often he'd sniff it, then give me a dark expression. Yesterday, I finally turned the mat on and placed a cookie towards the end when Quinn wasn't around. A bit later, I heard his paws hit the floor in the kitchen, the sound he makes when he is pulling his big clodhoppers off the counter. He came partially into the living room, gave me an unfriendly glance, then lied down to the side of where I was sitting with his butt facing me. He never does that. It was clearly <Shun On>.

 

 

A couple hours later, I put a small piece of ham on the mat. Afterwards, I heard a couple little static noises (basically these are static shocks -- unpleasant but not painful -- I tested it on me) followed by the thump of his paws. He came into the living room, snapped his teeth at me, but did deign to jump on the sofa next to me. A bit later, I heard the paws again, this time he came into the living room to give a low little howl. Since he only howls when he's happy, I took that as a sign he was maybe finding this funny. Or he wanted me to feed him since he couldn't get the food off the counter and it was close to dinner time.

 

 

After dinner, I put a piece of turkey on the mat and gave him a bit of the cookie when he brought me his bowl. He did go check the counter once or twice more (based on the thumping feet), but didn't take any of the food. As the evening wore on, I gave the dogs the ham, then the turkey and finally the cookie.

 

 

I think Quinn may be working on a way to come at the food from above -- perhaps suspended from the ceiling, Mission Impossible style. Probably all he is really learning is he can't get food that is on a scat mat. My hope is this will be part of an attempt to get him thinking about counters being off limits. A girl can dream, can't she?

 

Well, if nothing else this can be a weird little game to play with my Border Collie this winter. Something to pass the time until the sun returns.

 

My experience with the mat was that they avoid the couch when its spread out and hop up where it isn't (I have a big sectional) I currently have it over the back of the sofa to prevent them from walking down off the stairs onto the sofa back.

 

As you say, if nothing else, its a way to keep entertained during the winter...Me, I'm planning a trip to Miami. Ken is watching "Dirty Jobs" and the host is rounding up chickens in Miami. They said there's over 100,000 feral chickens loose in the city. As Robin has demonstrated himself to be a chicken chasing fool, I figure, get him trained, and I could make a fortune .

 

Liz

[Jack & Co.]

I think Quinn may be working on a way to come at the food from above -- perhaps suspended from the ceiling, Mission Impossible style.

 

This mental picture gave me a delightful giggle to start my morning! Thanks!