What Do You Want?

Sometimes Hannah gets tired of my doing things without being involved with her. She comes and sits beside me, gazing at me hopefully.

I was at the computer when she came and sat. I turned to her and gave her a hug, and then asked, "What do you want?"

She gazed.

I said, "Do you want to play tug?" No response.

"Do you want a brush?" No response.

"Do you want a toe clip?" No response.

"Do you want your teeth brushed?" No response.

"Do you want a biscuit?" No response.

"Do you want a kong?" No response.

"Do you want to play Find-It?"

Yes, yes, yes! That's what I want! Yes, please, let's play Find-It. I love that game!

And so we went to the kitchen and I took 4 biscuits out of the biscuit container. I told Hannah to sit and stay, and I came back into the room and hid the biscuits. It's getting harder and harder to find hiding places that she doesn't find in a minute. She sniffs out the biscuits but she's learned to sniff all the best places first. After they were hidden, I called, "Okay, Hannah. Come find them."

She bounded into the room, nose in high gear. It took her a little longer than usual because I found a new hiding place. But she'll remember it the next time we play.

Sometimes when she gazes at me for attention, I only have to offer one or two suggestions for activities and she'll choose. Sometimes she tells me she wants a toe clip, or to have her teeth brushed, or some other thing that some dogs wouldn't really be interested in. I think she's just thrilled to have the attention.