July 1, 2008

After talking with a few trainers about what to try next, I think I'm developing a plan. I'm told I need to start increasing the pen size, maybe adding a panel each week, so I can start ground-working Billie. I also need to keep working on de-sensitizing with flags, towels, etc.

This afternoon, I took a beach towel out to the pen and hung it on a panel. HELLO!!!!!! This sent Billie flying. I took the beach towel off and tossed it in a heap on the ground. Next, Billie was very interested in this pile, so I moved it closer to the pen. After awhile, I held it up to the pen and let her sniff at it. After a bit more, I folded it so that it was smaller and laid this across a rung on a panel next to where Billie was eating her grain. She finally paid the towel no mind. In fact, I left it out with her and went inside to fix supper. After supper, I found the towel in a heap inside the pen--she had pulled it into the pen with her! Charles retrieved it for me. Next, I unfolded the towel again and hung it on the panel as before. This got a little bit of reaction, but not nearly like before. I decided to take the towel inside with me when I went in for the night. I'll take a different towel out with me tomorrow; one that I won't mind that she plays with!