37 replies to this topic

[Islander]

Gus is actually pretty good at fetch - especially when there is a treat for him when he drops the ball. However, he can arbitrarily decide that he's had enough and try to turn it into a gme of Chase Me instead.

He also thinks that a laptop is actually a pillow for him. And the sitting upright on the lap blocking the TV is a very familiar pose!

Love these dogs to pieces!!!!

[Tracy A.]

Kit'sOwner, on 17 August 2010 - 07:25 AM, said:

My Cairn does not really know how to play fetch. It's very frustrating! I throw the toy, Cairn runs to grab it, but does not bring it back to you. Cairn eventually comes back to you and barks for you to go get the toy to throw it again. Hmmm, perhaps Cairn DOES know how to play fetch....

Hey at least yours goes after the toy! My two just watch you throw it and then walk on!

[janis]

LOL, Sigh! Thank goodness, I thought it was just Kirby that does all those things (he BUMPS you with his nose if you aren't looking at him!) then won't sit and be petted! He plays fetch, then he puts his toy up on the couch with us and drops it on the floor, bumps me as if to say "your turn to fetch!" Yep, I bend over and get it!

[Terrier lover]

Oh lets just face it... they own us not the other way around

[hheldorfer]

Tracy A., on 17 August 2010 - 12:04 PM, said:

Kit'sOwner, on 17 August 2010 - 07:25 AM, said:

My Cairn does not really know how to play fetch. It's very frustrating! I throw the toy, Cairn runs to grab it, but does not bring it back to you. Cairn eventually comes back to you and barks for you to go get the toy to throw it again. Hmmm, perhaps Cairn DOES know how to play fetch....

Hey at least yours goes after the toy! My two just watch you throw it and then walk on!

Ziggy loves to fetch and will bring the ball back; Buffy chases the ball and tries to prevent Ziggy from getting it, but she has no interest in bringing it back to us. Maybe she's trying to tell Ziggy "NO! Don't get it for them - make them get it for themselves or they'll never learn how to do this correctly!"

[Idaho Cairns]

Yes indeed, our little Bonnie is relentless to have a ball thrown for her--there will be no other activity held in our living room or on our deck but tossing the ball for her to chase! This even carried over to the motorhome where the Cairn must be entertained while underway--we had put a stop to that little game and its distraction.
However, reach down to pet her when YOU want to pet and she dodges away--she will take scritches only on her terms and only when she is ready.
This is a look and demand we all share with our Cairns--they cannot and will not be ignored!

[TazTalk]

As I sit here catching up on the Forum, Taz is desparately trying to get my attention because I have cheese on the desk with me. Okay, so sip a little wine, eat a little cheese while on my computer
Nothing tops cheese for Taz.
If I don't pay attention to him, he gets into perch/begging position and waves his front paws. If I still don't look, he waves furiously which causes his nails to rub together and make a noise that draws my attention to him! And he knows this!
If they're so smart - why don't they listen!!! We all know this how this works, right? I'm comforted knowing that the breed is consistent

Edited by TazTalk, 17 August 2010 - 06:29 PM.

[Tuesday]

TazTalk, on 17 August 2010 - 06:29 PM, said:

I'm comforted knowing that the breed is consistent

Every day that I read this forum, I totally agree with the above.


Murphy was had to stay in his box an unusually long time yesterday, so his payback to us was NON-STOP squeaking of the Wubba for about an hour. It kind of reminded me of the Family Guy episode where Stewie was trying to get the attention of Lois, "Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mother, Mother, Mother, Mother, Mummy, Mummy, Mummy, Mummy, Ma, Ma, Ma, Ma...LOOOOOIIIISS".

[Dempsy's Mom]

Same here Demps thinks that it is my job to fetch - only I have to fetch it when it is in his mouth and he gets to run around with it - just loves being chased. It could go on for hours. I try very hard not to start this game when I want him inside, but his little brain is always engaged.

[Kathryn]

Gosh, my T Bone -- who is usually such an aggressive loud little dog! -- is much more reserved in his search for pets than the others here. If I am sitting on a kitchen stool at the counter and T wants up in my lap for some hugs, he reaches up and tugs on my sweater or teeshirt. Just a little tug -- nothing that would rip or tear...I find it so endearing.

[louzingit]

These stories seem so familiar. It seems like only yesterday that I had a little Cairn at me feet obsessively squeaking a cow. No.. wait. That was yesterday AND this morning. ha!

Baby Fly loved playing fetch from the moment she entered the house. She would fetch anything. Her ball. Her cow. Her lion. Her cuddle bear. Anything thrown, she would fetch.

The problem: She wouldn't let go when she brought it back. She wanted to tug until either the thrower or the cairn passed totally out. After a couple of months of The Baby Fly version of fetch, this got a little old for the thrower in the house. Moi.

Just before bedtime when she was about six months, I decided to try teaching her to 'drop it'.

I threw the cow.

Baby Fly flew threw the house, fetched the cow, brought it back and tugged her little heart out.

Me. Offering a tasty kibble. "Baby Fly, Drop it!"

Baby Fly. Tugging with all her might. "No way man!"

Me. Waving lovely kibble in front of her nose making her lose concentration enough to take the cow and put it on the floor. "Baby Fly, Drop it!"

Baby Fly. Eating her kibble. "NOM NOM NOM!"

Me throwing the cow again. Baby Fly fetching and returning as fast as she could.

Me bringing the kibble in close. "Baby Fly Drop it!"

Baby Fly tugging a little but looking at the kibble. Her nose begins to twitch.

She drops le cow and eats le kibble.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat... for the next five minutes or so.

Fast forward to the next morning. I'm sitting in the living room. Baby Fly flies into the room with her cow in her mouth and spits it out on the floor at my feet. Splat!

Baby Fly. "I dropped it mom. Where's my kibble?!"

[Kathryn]

Oh, and I do have to mention Allie's favorite way to play with balls. She'll fetch them for a while, then likes to run off and play with them on her own. Unfortunately, her next favorite game at that point is to roll the ball under the couch and bark at it until we get it out for her. If we ignore her, she will start to scratch at the couch -- and she does know that is a no-no. Apparently watching her people lie down on the floor and sweep under the couch with a broomstick is much more fun than fetch...

[Sue G]

YES! "Repositioning of Cairn body parts"....Ozzy has this annoying habit of walking over my foot when I'm sitting with my legs crossed to position his belly over my toes so I'll scratch him. I've become so numb to it that I will catch myself moving my foot back and forth before I'm even aware of it. He also walks back and forth under my coffee table to scratch his back...the coffee table being the exact right height. It makes this scatching, rubbing noise, so distictive that you KNOW what he's doing from the next room.

[pkcrossley]

"Another thing that drives me batty, and I've mentioned this before, is the door game. Bark, I want to go out! (trots out; door closes) Bark, I want in! (door opens; Cairn DOES NOT COME IN). Fine; door slams shut. BARK! Door opens; Cairn does not come in. "

Kit says: "Another thing that drives me batty, and I've mentioned this before, is the door game. I say, let's go out! I trot out, look around, she's inside with the door shut! I bark, I say open that door and come out here! Door opens; human DOES NOT COME OUT! Amazingly, she slams the door shut. I BARK! Door opens; Human does not come out.

Fellow cairns, I ask you: What does it take to get through to these humans? What is she trying to prove? I mean, I speak perfectly clearly, I do everything but wear a sandwich board saying "Get out here and play with me!" Fellow cairns, what should I do with this critter?"

[Kit'sOwner]

OMG!!!! That is TOO FUNNY!!!