Variety is such an important part of dog training. Variety in environments, rewards, toys, people and other dogs are all important tools in keeping the training interesting for those involved and keeping Sia's attention. It would get a little bit dry if there was no variety and it also helps with Sia's socialization. Different playmates keep things excited and help her to remain tolerant of other dogs as she grows older.
Sia was happy to see Brutus again. They play well together and they are similar in age.
Play can even be used as a reward for Sia. Really fast recalls warrant really big rewards so, if she responds quickly, she gets lots of praise, treats, pets and then she is released right away so she can go play again.
It's also a great time to work on Sia's on/off switch so she can learn to go from all out play to nice and controlled quickly and easily. For a girl like Sia who has an on switch turned on most of the time, sthis is really important. But it's also makes training fun and enjoyable for both Sia and her handler.
I like to also give her variety in her toys. I rotate the toys in the toy basket every couple of days or so.
This helps by making the same old toys seem new and exciting to her.
And it helps her to make better choices about what is ok or not ok to chew on. If a toy is new and exciting, she's much more likely to choose that over a toy that's been available day in and day out.
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