Wonderful Wednesday - New tricks for Freki?

Someone sent me a video clip of a GSD helping around the house. I remember laughing about it as Freki careened through the house on some mission or other she had contrived.

With all the rain, and now the hot weather, she has spent way too much time inside. I've tried creative (I think) ways of keeping her entertained, but the GSD mind is ever-active and some days she just wears me out.

Oh, and Ben. She wears him out, too.

She stalks the cat. They romp. They almost break something, so a time-out gets called. Angus responds by leaping at Freki on his rear legs, front feet spread wide. Chaos ensues. Again.

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Her nose is always into everything. She inspects the basket from the garden. She watches intently as supper is prepared (ok, maybe she's hoping for a handout here). She watches me type, gets bored and brings me her ball to toss to her.

So, today as I was doing laundry, I thought back to the video and thought, why not? Why not channel that interest and energy into something more productive than another session of 'throw my ball'?

I spent several minutes offering her newly washed articles of clothing. She was entranced. With the command 'take it', she gently took the sock, and held it in her mouth. I pointed to the open dryer. "Drop it." She kept holding it. "Drop it in the dryer, Freki." With a quick glance at me, she slipped away and deposited it on her bed.

No problem. There is a learning curve, here after all. So we repeated the commands--right up to where she put another sock on her bed. Her bed was beginning to look like a lost and found pile. After a bit, she started to catch on. I won't say she is a pro, but we will persist.

As for handing me laundry from the basket to put in the washer? I may have taught her to sneak socks.

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