7.16.2018

July 15, 2018

White Dog nodded in agreement. "That boy sure has some quirky old man habits." She was sitting with me watching the drama of Steve getting Tizenegy to go outside for a necessary break.

Tiz was in the office on his bed and excitedly rushed to stand at the edge of the carpet. He wagged in excitement and pranced in place as Steve wound him up verbally then ushered him down the hallway singing and encouraging. "Keep going. Keep going. ALL the way out."

Tizenegy dashed all the way to the dog door and was distracted by Zsofia lying on the bed. He stopped. "No! Come on, go outside!"

Was not going to happen...in Tiz logic that loss of momentum cancelled the action entirely. Before he could go out to potty, he had to return to his starting point in the office, be re-encouraged, get excited again, and then charge down the hall and out of the door. Heaven help us if there was a second cause to pause or break the focus.

There have been times, especially when the rest of the Army is milling about, that Our Boy must go back and be rewound three or four times.

And it is the same in reverse. When he comes crashing back in through the dog door, Tizenegy must complete the circuit by going all of the way back to his bed. Once he has tagged "His" space his mission is completed. Only THEN can he backtrack for a hug...or even a treat.

"That is the craziest part," White Dog said, "WHO runs past a treat?"

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