Rocking' the Bow

Tuesday December 12 2017

This little trick sort of developed on its own, when I started locking the two Hoodlums, Dudley and Finneas (show names Douglas and Finley) off the hay during the day. As compensation I gave them a little treat. One day when I turned them loose, I happened to be standing between them, and Finneas *thought* I wanted him to bow, and when he did, I asked Dudley to bow. It's become a ritual now (though I ask Finneas to "bow" and Dudley to "step"). 

Dudley of course knows lots of tricks (his favorite one right now is picking up a feed bucket), and Connie has taught Finneas how to bow and how to kiss.

The Hoodlums have previously worked as a team before, exhibiting how not to be afraid of a tarp,

but this double bow is their best yet!

Video here:

(or, link to video: https://youtu.be/PjuYgXbZCL8 )

Trickmeister Dude: Pick It Up

August 27 2017

Dudley has a passel of tricks in his bag, but it's been too bloody hot to work on any this summer.

One trick is Touch It; it started with my hat. When he started picking it up on his own, that morphed into Pick It Up. From that it's developed that he has to Pick It Up and hand it to me before he gets a treat. The handing it to me part really hadn't clicked - it's more luck that I can grab it before he drops it - but we really haven't worked on it. 

The other day Steph said she left a feed tub out in the pasture, and to pick it up if I saw it. Did somebody say Pick It Up?

Connie and Sarah and I were out riding later, and I spied the bucket. I sent Dudley over. "Pick It Up!" I said. Dudley reached down, picked up the bucket, and when I reached for it, he handed it to me! Oh for a camera!!!!! Of course he got big praise and a treat for that!

I tried it again when we got back to the house, but instead he did his Spanish Steps. Not what I asked for, but he did them so well, I changed to the command for that ("Step" and a nudge with my toe on each side), and gave him a treat.

Today I fetched a camera after our ride, and tried to get Pick It Up of a feed bucket on video.

Here it is! 

or link: https://youtu.be/eVE3jIajMuY 

Trickmeister Dude

Sunday January 22 2017

My sister's visiting, and she got to meet Stormy and Jose and Dudley and the rest of the herd for the first time.

Dudley put on a little show for her the first day. Not too bad, considering we haven't worked on tricks for a while! (Day 2 we tried and he was totally uninterested in performing. In fact, he just stood there and stared at us, even with carrots as rewards on offer! Oh well.) My sister took the pictures.


cheese!


give me a hug!


pick it up! 
We just started on working having him pick it up and hand it to me. I tried to run in there to grab it before he dropped it! Gotta work on it.


step!
Working on the Spanish step. Right now he has to do 3 steps (left right left) before he gets a reward. We'll eventually work on walking forward while doing it.