Mousetrap Game

Last week I showed how boundaries are the key, together with the mousetrap game. However, I realised that you might not be able to see how this worked with the camera's position. The most important part of the game is not to nag the dog to leave but wait until they politely look away or look at you. Once they do, feed your dog the treat taken from beneath the cage (your hand). You use your hand to protect the food from being stolen. If you play this game, it's surprising how quickly your dog learns to be polite. But don't forget that your dogs are opportunists. If you leave food around for them to steal, they will soon realise that the kitchen counter is an excellent place to surf for lovely tasty treats. Dogs learn to repeat beneficial behaviours, so if you clear the kitchen counter of opportunities, your dog will not learn to steal.