Stretching the mind

I sure missed Marshall while he spent time with another foster to work the BMW Charity event. He came back and I saw he was SO big! I guess you don't see them growing in front of your eyes.

I've been told we need to work on Marshall's over exhuberance with a tennis ball. I had been thinking about how I could stretch his little mind even before he spent time away. So, for a few days now, I've been introducing holding a dumbbell in his mouth...the first step to learning to retrieve. (If I can get Marshall to retrieve my shoes like my first own dog, I will be VERY happy, but he has to learn the concept first). I started with just helping him hold in while I held his mouth closed around it. Last night we tried the next baby step, actually reaching for it. It is getting it!

Julie also suggested we "search for our dinner." That has been quite a fun game. When I feed my own dog, Marshall already knows his bowl isn't going to be handed to him. He lets my other dog start eating, while I tell Marshall, "Search." His bowl has been hidden behind doors, and under things. Last night it was outside. Tonight, we just might have a larger search as we find a place, perhaps down the street?

All this is to help Marshall understand that his world is bigger than a tennis ball. Hopefully he will conquer all there is in this big wide world and that process of learning fun!