A muffin game problem

[malcolm.barron]

My 11 month old German Wirehaired Pointer is afraid of the muffin tray and won't go near it even when high value snacks are used. Any ideas about how to do this game would be welcome or should I just skip it?

 

He has also started mouthing my hand when I put it near his collar. Are these behaviours down to adolescence?

[JMFS]

I use empty yogurt containers instead of a muffin tray. If it's the noise that bothers him you might try a silicone tray instead. You may be able to desensitize him to the existing one by having it in your lap while giving him treats, then when he's good with that put it on the floor and give him treats, and when he's good with that you can maybe put treats on top of it (or smear a dollop of peanut butter on it) to see if he'll go near it, and keep increasing the criteria (a phrase I've picked up around here) until he's good with it. Go back a step if it seems the criteria got too high too soon.

 

Gertie used to bolt from her bed when I'd raise or lower the blinds. She stays there now without me having to say anything. I started by giving her a treat when I'd touch the toggles because that's when she'd peace out - as soon as my hand hit those pulls she was Gone, bed flying halfway across the room from her momentum. Eventually I got to where I could lower them a Wee bit and before she'd leave the bed I'd convince her to stay there by offering a treat. Little by little I was able to lower and raise them all the way. Now we're working on the Roomba with her and the Dyson grooming attachment with Momo - there seems to be a never-ending world of alien objects in a dog's world!

[malcolm.barron]

Thanks for the tips. You may be right about the noise of the steel tray on a tiled floor. I’ll give your suggestions a go.

[JMFS]

Oh! If it's on a tiled floor then maybe putting a mat under it might help, too. Gertie's food dish used to rattle in the stand so I folded a towel and put that underneath - problem solved.