#swap me

[doomspaniels]

We went for a little afternoon walk through one of the dog fields, the areas the dogs have access to any time they're outside.

Gwyn found something exciting and conscientiously brought it right to me. They've been finding a lot of whole pecans out there, though I don't know where the tree is.

But as she got closer it was obvious it was much bigger than a pecan. Maybe the crows brought an avocado pit from somebody's compost... "Show me, Gwyn?"

HANG ON. THAT'S AN EGG.

Oh, Gwyn did not want to share with Tristan. (I didn't ask her to, but she was Concerned.)

She didn't want us to take it away, either, but was adequately soothed by many cheddars candies.

[fieriframes]

[SWAP ME. ALL RIGHT, HOW LONG ARE WE GONNA LET THIS GO? RIBS ARE GONNA SMOKE FOR ABOUT FIVE HOURS. THE BUTT'S GONNA SMOKE FOR, UH, ABOUT 16.]

[doomspaniels]

I wouldn't swap Gwyn for the rag she had rightfully stolen.

Tristan's Fetch and Tug Buddy wouldn't pay her for it either.

Why won't anyone treat this like the serious crime it is??

[doomspaniels]

Heading out to Feed the Big Doggies, both Spaniels offering up their toys as proof they're dropping them before going into the horse pasture, because they are very good Spaniels... and also because the cheese Tricky Trainers are really tasty and they would like one please.

[doomspaniels]

Yesterday Gwyn had a very puppy day. They're getting increasingly infrequent, but yesterday she NEEEEEDED to Do Stuff. She kept stealing increasingly difficult items, bringing them to me so I could tell her how clever, naughty, and rotten she was. Also how proud, and swap her a treat for them.

Eventually I took the silicone hot pads she'd just been bringing me, went outside and hid them. Then I took the Spaniels out, and told them "Go find." It was the first time we had played Go Find outside, *and* the first time I asked for them to keep going after finding one. They rocked it. They're amazing.

By the third one she was starting to get fatigued (started towards inside instead of towards me), and I thought I had finally made a dent in the Puppy Day. As soon as we came inside (to hails of "so good! so clever! aaall dooooooone") and sat down... she brought me a shirt.

[doomspaniels]

A proud young princess revels in her due adulation. She found a hoof boot on Sniff Patrol, and brought it right inside, joyous wriggling the whole way. "Oh yes, keep telling me what a good girl I am."

[doomspaniels]

~Spaniel Eyes~

Gwyn played a few rounds of bed-fetch. Then they both got enthused and started bringing me random items from around the bedroom... and staring hopefully until I swapped them a treat for the toy.

[doomspaniels]

Gwyn demonstrates an extremely useful trick: "Show" (let me see what's in your mouth). We practice a lot so the good experiences ("Gwyn can have") overwhelm the very rare occasions when I need them to "swap" (trade what they have for a treat). Mostly, they get delighted praise and reassurance for "show," and if they seem to want it, playing tug or keep-away.

[Video Description: Guinevere, a red cocker spaniel, chews something pale-colored. The photographer says something inaudible, and Gwyn pauses. The photographer says, "Show, baby, show"; Gwyn stands up, wagging, and approaches the camera, flopping down right next to it. The photographer says "Show, show" and Gwyn waves the thing in her mouth toward the photographer. It is a shed, bleached deer antler. Gwyn acts relaxed, as if she is not expecting the photographer to take her toy.]