Have you ever had a training session that just dissolves into laughter? You just have to stop working because you can’t stop laughing? Meanwhile, you dog is staring at you like you’re a raving lunatic?

I taught the boys to “wave hi” using the clicker. Since they both already knew “high five,” I started with my hand in the “high five” position but clicked whenever they missed, giving the “wave hi” verbal cue. They got it immediately. They got it so quickly, in fact, that Emmett basically sat waving his little paw in the air, like a second grader trying desperately to get the teacher to call on him. Every time I glanced in his direction, his little paw flew up in the air. After a few minutes of that, John and I were laughing so hard, I could barely continue with the training. Even when I was working with Lucas, Emmett sat with his paw poised and ready to wave!

Also, John was hanging around while I was working on the behavior. About three minutes in, he pointed out that when Emmett responded slowly, I said, “Come on, buddy!” or something similar… so poor Emmett would get confused and scootch forward like… I’m already here, lady! Stop saying come!

That’s the great thing about the clicker. After a few minutes, we were able to refine the behavior so that Emmett wasn’t holding his paw up in between turns, and they were both waving on the first cute.

In this last pic, thanks to Emmett’s bandage (after last week’s biopsy), you can see the waving movement we finally nailed!

It was nearly impossible to get a good picture with our little point-and-shoot camera, but I might try to get some film footage of a training session next week!