Chicken Little Meets Clicker Training

Well, Chicken Little (otherwise known as Libby) is more convinced now than ever that the sky is truly falling.

Today we began Clicker Training.  Fiona is starting a Rally Class on April 4th.  The trainer, Emily, teaches it using a clicker.  I started reading up on it and decided to start working on it at home.  I ordered some books and bought a clicker.  I got some yummy treats, sat down on the floor & "clicked".  Libby hit the deck & then ran from the room!  Fiona ran & hid under a chair! Joey flinched, but happily took a treat.  I tried it a few more times.  Joey stopped flinching and got pushier about the treats.  Fiona would slink out from under the chair, grab the treat, & run back behind the chair.  Libby, well....... was Libby.  This was not the beginning I had hoped for!

I emailed Emily, put a pot of chicken tenders on the stove, and waited for help.  "SOFTEN THE CLICKER" was the subject line.  Emily is very gentle & soft spoken, so I knew this was important!!  After taking her advice and covering the clicker in layers of tape (thanks, Em!) I started again.  I took them each INDIVIDUALLY into a quiet room with a muffled clicker and a bowl of chicken.  After one chicken tender each (their dinner), we had success -  they now look to my eyes when they hear the clicker.    Wahoo!!  

So, what did we accomplish on Day 1 of Clicker Training?  Joey doesn't stare at the bowl of chicken, Fiona isn't hiding under the chair, and Libby doesn't run out of the room - even with the door open!!  I click and 3 little heads turn to look at me! 

Now, if I can just get Chicken Little to stop flinching........ 

 

Purple zippers

Purple.......purple lovers are obsessed with purple.  I was first introduced to this obsession in Jr High.  My cousin, Deb loved anything purple.  I never got it......

I try my best to help purple lovers by keeping a good variety of purple in my booth.  But since I am only a purple liker, I don't always notice when I get low.  A purple lover will usually point it out to me.  "Do you have anything else in purple?"

Friday was all about purple.  I was making purple denim "Raggy Bags", but it came to a grinding halt when I realized I was out of purple zippers.  I spent half the morning driving around, but no purple zippers.  I could NOT substitute, not when I was using purple denim, purple thread, purple mesh, and purple polar fleece!!  I gave up & ordered them online.

But now what??  I'm left with UFPO's - UnFinished Purple Objects........I am just not ready to move on.  Besides, I have purple thread in the serger.  Maybe some purple Sassee Pants, or purple Belly Bands.......does Libby need a new purple Raggy Vest??  I think I've gone over to the dark side...the dark purple side, that is!!

Happy Birthday!

This seems the perfect day to start blogging - it's Libby's 4th birthday!!  We celebrated at the dog park on Sunday with the Yorkie Meetup Group (yes, I know she is a Pom, we joined for Fiona).   Libby usually causes quite a stir at the park.   She prances in - after squeezing between the bars in the gate - and then takes over the park.  Libby loves that everyone keeps throwing these weekly parties for her......

At "Barks 'n Tales" today (Libby is a Therapy Dog), the kids sang Happy Birthday to her, it was too cute!!

Happy Birthday, Libbers!

xoxo,

Libby's Mom