School is in session

you'll love school, Lexie... and your FM knows the ropes so pay attention and you'll score loving, treats and LOTS of praise!

Ojo, FM says I need to get with you and learn about playing. She thinks I would be happier if I could play with a toy. But, I have a hard time with toys. I have finally found one I kind of like, but if anyone is looking at me when I play with it, I drop it and run away.

Oh Lexie...you have come a long way since the flood. Mom always looks for the good when something bad happens.
The good here is that you found a great FM. Both of you are working hard to make you a better dog so you can find your forever home.
P.S....my favorite toys are balls and stuffed animals that make a noise. As we all know Ojo's favorite toy is the ball. Balls are fun...do you like them?

Daisy
The squeaker toys kind of scare me. I guess I'm not a really brave kind of dog right now. When they squeak I jump back from them and then don't want them anymore. The balls make me think someone is throwing something at me, so I hide. But, FM found a really nice non squeaking toy that fits just right in my mouth and last week I started carrying it around in the yard as long as no one is watching me too much. FM even watched from a window and saw me throwing it up in the air and catching it. I can also carry it in my mouth and run REALLY fast around the yard, drop it, run back and pick it up.

FM says its a big step for me. She even got me to chase it once when she threw the big yellow toy. In the past when FM threw something, I thought she was mad at me so I laid down and rolled over. FM keeps telling me that she will never throw something at me when she is mad, but it's hard to get over some things I guess.

FM says if cats were toys, then I would be good at playing, but since Cats aren't toys, I have some work to do still on that front.

Good job, Lexie!!! I was like you when I first went to school. I still get nervous when we're out, but all those treats sure help that nervousness go away.

You know, my mom had to go to the first class without me too. Moms must need more training or something. Good luck with school!! Before you know it, you'll be out on the town, having a good time!

Although I do enjoy an occasional squeaky toy, I MUCH prefer the old reliable ROPE. I think I have 3 or 4 of them but Mom's old cocker Sache's rope is by far, hands down my favorite ratty old rope.

PS: I think Moms go to school once without us so they can get chipped.

I love rope toys too! My mom got me one that was threaded through a tennis ball!

My mom also got me this rope toy that has a bottle on the end... she puts FOOD in it and i have to shake shake shake it all around and if i do it just right, my food pops out!

Cats are not toys? What doggy manual have you been reading? We even have a new one that would make a great toy for you. I'll fix you up.

Mom saw one of those bottles the other day and wondered if I might like it. I'm really not very interested in toys...maybe for a minute or 2. But something with treats in it might get me going! We got pieces of mom's dinner last night to keep us from fence fighting with the lawn tractor next door. It was a hard choice, but I picked the food.

Fair warning for Lexie though - they can get pretty loud if you have a rough player (like we do)... I think he mostly likes to just shake it and hear the racket.

Think about it . . . a 2 in 1 toy, it's something to play with and also something to help with noise sensitivity and get positive reinforcement from the treats inside!

I got Lexie a Kong, but I like the idea of this rattling, noisy shaker with food. I've shown Lexie Batman playing with me and she gets all excited and wiggles all around, but she can't quite figure out what we are doing and why Batman seems to be having fun.

We got ours at broad ripple animal clinic - its the large one and it is purple with a purple and white rope attached.... but i'm sure they sell them elsewhere. it was pricey, in my opinion, ($15) but is allegedly indestructible and a good "mental workout".

I believe the indestructible part- our coffee table has sustained some nicks as a result of Nigel swinging it around, but the toy itself still looks brand new.