#trainhardplayharder

Points of note to continue with Thistle - preferences is leather - enjoys the tug game for itself but needs more confidence - continue dramatic play acting when I “lose” - two handed toys work best - figure eights to get her going - chasies and keep away if the rights don’t work - keep her neck straight and work on building her comfort with me looming

Points of note to continue with Thyme - likes a good chase - start with figure eights - one handled toys I can flick about work best - still learning to love the game and not item possession - vocal!!! Dramatic!!! Player!!! - enjoys being pushed back/opposition reflex

Injury log from tug miscalculations: Swollen right thumb (T1) Bruise on back of right hand (T1) Left thumb puncture (T2) Wrenched leg (T1) Scratches back of left hand (T2) Left knee bitten mild bruising (T1)

Points of note:

Slowly work up the conflict scale (AVERT MY EYES)

I’m tired so tired

Thistle likes it when I actually trip

For Thyme - start at 00:03

Thyme’s really getting into this, so please enjoy the hilariousness that is his tugging and leaps back towards me. Love it. So floppy. As soon as he sees I have the toy he is HELLO!

I am focussing a lot on letting the tug slip out of my grasp when he tugs in a line and just waiting for him to get bored with the tug. I notice eye contact - watching him quietly - seems to rev him up and get him to bring back the toy…or at least a bit of it. I think we’re developing the love of tug-the-game for him.

At 03:05 mark he starts pushing himself on me so I push him back as he seems to be an opposition reflex kind of guy.

At some point the toy becomes a strip of leather that fell off the toy. He doesn’t care.

Please enjoy super dramatic jumps by him at 00:50, 00:56, 01:19, 01:50, 03:28 (complete with growls),

For thistle - start at 05:19

Thistle is consistently harder to engage at the start, she has to sniff around and have a look. But we’re getting better at it.Doesn’t help that Thyme is having a fuss in background (covered crate, no distraction treats because it’d distract Thistle too).

I’ve found figure eights of miss twice catch on the third seem to get her started and build enthusiasm.

At 06:17 I bring the game to the couch, she seems more comfortable and willing to play up there.

At 07:07 I wasn’t play acting, I had genuinely slipped while tugging.

I found this one more confusing to do than straight up tug. Mostly because there was so many rules to remember, I kept forgetting a rule and would remember to do that, but changing up how I played confused the dogs.

Points of note:

I still talk too much when not playing and not enough when playing.

I could probably have the camera even closer.

For Thistle - start 0:09

She is not as engaged today, I think me throwing the toy about and letting go for her to “win” confuses her a bit but she’s kinda into competitive. I don’t think I’ll do this style of play with her again though, as she’s divided on racing towards the toy with me and backs off if she thinks I’m going to grab it. Think she’d much prefer to just hang on and tug.

I’m still not sure what I’m meant to do when she freezes and holds on. I think she’s waiting for something, but I don’t know what exactly since the things I’ve tried (pulling hard, letting go, wiggling) doesn’t seem to do anything.

She started checking out and checked out completely at 2:16, but dragging the toy along got her re-engaged. I think because the toy does not roll or move fast, its a boring toy to throw.

Swinging it around flirt pole style is better, but I don’t know if that was allowed in the rules?

So many rules.

For Thyme - start 03:39

Thyme really liked this style of play, and had lots of fun chasing and retrieving.

At 4:57 he starts doing some keep-away but I run around and make a big fuss when he flops his way over to me.I think its funny when he growls while tugging, such a big tough dog

At 6:13 he decides this shouldnt be recorded