That's Niko sticking his head into a plastic jack-o-lantern my friend Nichole got for him. Last year, Niko was fearful of this thing. When I brought it back out this year, he showed some anxiety. Then it hit me, it's the face that he was focused on. I have noticed how fixated Niko becomes on objects that have a face. With any stuffed animal we give him, it's the head/face that is annihilated first. Actually, the eyes fall out and then holes are bitten through the head until it's not recognizable.
I turned the pumpkin so that the face is turned away from Niko and I put toys and treats in it. He hasn't growled at it since even when the face is visible. This pumpkin also turned out to be a great storage bin for Niko's toys.
I learned of a fun game from The Dog Trainer podcast and modified it with this pumpkin. Her game entailed a few empty yogurt cups and hiding a treat under one or all of them. Then, let your dog tip the cup over to get a treat. I flipped the pumpkin upside down and hid small toys and treats over and over again for Niko to "find." This is one of many ways to entertain a dog.
I think pets in costumes are super cute. However, Niko is skittish and doesn't enjoy wearing articles of clothings or accessories. It was a lot of work making him wear a Santa hat/kerchief around his neck last Christmas. When Niko suspects anyone coming at him to give him a bath or to put clothes on him, he goes into "catch me if you can" mode and it's nearly impossible to get him.
Notice how he's curled up under his cheetah chair. He's in this position a LOT. We'll be watching TV and not hear a peep out of him for 30 minutes. Then, out of no where, we would see the chair move up, down, or tilt slightly. When he gets out, he sometimes get stuck and moves the chair with him a few inches. It's like in the cartoons when a character hides under the rock and the rock moves slyly.
I turned the pumpkin so that the face is turned away from Niko and I put toys and treats in it. He hasn't growled at it since even when the face is visible. This pumpkin also turned out to be a great storage bin for Niko's toys.
I learned of a fun game from The Dog Trainer podcast and modified it with this pumpkin. Her game entailed a few empty yogurt cups and hiding a treat under one or all of them. Then, let your dog tip the cup over to get a treat. I flipped the pumpkin upside down and hid small toys and treats over and over again for Niko to "find." This is one of many ways to entertain a dog.
I think pets in costumes are super cute. However, Niko is skittish and doesn't enjoy wearing articles of clothings or accessories. It was a lot of work making him wear a Santa hat/kerchief around his neck last Christmas. When Niko suspects anyone coming at him to give him a bath or to put clothes on him, he goes into "catch me if you can" mode and it's nearly impossible to get him.
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| Don't you dare come near me with a costume! Argh... |
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