Learning a New Task

Well, a new way to do an old task, really.



Sometimes when I want Isaac to pick up an item for me, he isn't sure which one I want. It's easy if he sees me drop something (or if he knocks something off my coffee table, which he does sometimes with his big waggy tail - if he knocks it off, he usually picks it up without being asked) or if there is only one item in the vicinity, but sometimes there are several items on the floor, like a dog toy, a pair of shoes and a piece of paper that dropped there. Then he isn't always sure which item I want. I usually poke at the correct item with my foot and/or when he starts to touch it give him an enthusiastic "yeah" so he knows he's got the right one. 

Well, I saw a video of a woman who used a little laser light, like you'd use to play with your cat, to indicate which item she wanted her service dog to pick up. So I ordered one of those and I got it today. That's what Isaac and I will be doing over the next few days, practicing using that. We tried it a couple times this evening and one issue is that he is so excited to retrieve something for me, he has trouble waiting to see what item I am pointing to with the light. He just wants to grab something, anything, and try to give it to me to see if it's what I want. He does not have much patience.

I'll try to post a video of it once he gets better at it.