When Higgins was just a few months old, a friend who does obedience trials with her Border Terrier taught us to make a "game" of controlling Higgin's toys. We take his favorite toy (usually his Frisbee) and slowly wave it in front of him, telling him to "stay". If he grabs it, we say "no" firmly and take it back....right out of his mouth....and tell him that it is NOT his toy.....It is OUR toy......If he lets us keep it for a few seconds, we praise him to the skies, then say "OKAY!" and let him take it. Work to keep him on "stay" for longer periods, so you build control over the toy. This has worked like a charm. Now he enjoys playing the game and waiting until we say "OKAY!" so he can grab it.
Getting him to let go on his own has taken longer and we are still working on it. Lately, we wait for him to "kill" the frisbee by shaking it, then we say, "drop it and back off." He literally jumps backwards and hunkers down on his front paws and waits for us to pick up the frisbee and throw it. So cute.
This little exercise of control over his things has been a wonderful thing! He has never growled at either one of us since we have trained him that we really own it all. |