Sammy Story 23: Stay!

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Sammy Story 23: Stay!

November 9, 2020 | News | 1 Comment

M had said they had been starting to teach him to “stay” when he was with them, but it was a hit or miss affair. I decided to pick up where they left off.
Since Sammy the shadow was used to being glued to my side, this was going to be a major change for him if we could pull it off.


I started by sitting him in front of his food dish, facing me. I slowly walked back, saying “Stay. Sammy—stay!” over and over till I got about six feet away.


He was looking at me like, “What crazy thing is Mom up to now?” Then he toodled over to me.


I took him back and repeated the procedure, and he trotted back to me. I did this three or four times. Sammy’s happy look was way-gone. In its place, he wore his “grumbly face.”


From Sammy’s perspective, something had to be done. Mom had obviously lost her mind, and needed a time out.
“The next time she tries this “stay” nonsense, I’ll just head to the safety of my basket.”


So, that is what he did. He didn’t come to me, but gave me a wide berth and sneaked into his basket.


I wouldn’t let him away with it, but went and picked him up, depositing him in the original spot by his dish, and repeating the performance. I was not going to stop on a failure. I would keep it up till he got it.


Finally, Eureka! “Ah, I’m supposed to stay here, until Mom says, ‘Come.’ Ah, so that’s it!”


We repeated the success formula a few more times till he got the drift and realized that this was how we did it.


I praised and praised him. I gave him a treat and he hid it under the covers in his basket.


One command down, and more to go.

About Author

about author

Lou Rider

Mary Lou lives in Central Alberta with her awesome husband Theo and their rescue-dog Sammy.