ladyfingers = cookies

Obediently following Sarah's lovely request, I took more videos of Maya in action.  This time practicing tricks, including the new "cross your paws" thing we learned last week.  I always think I sound silly in videos, but this is especially true when I am using my special silly voice that goes with especially silly new cues.

The ten second version, showing just the new trick:

Isn't she charming?  I'm biased, I know, but Maya amuses me endlessly; we spend hours being ridiculously entertained by one another.  I also made a longer video that shows more of what an actual trick playing/training session looks like around here, although I edited it for length and to try to cut out repetitions...Maya knows plenty more tricks, but the camera is a big distraction (for me especially), so she had to do the same ones over and over while I fumbled treats, miscued, and otherwise made her life difficult.  Poor baby.

The distraction for her, by the way, was a neighbor hammering something (or pounding things together in some way).  It caught Maya's attention several times, so I told her to go take a look.  Sometimes, all she needs is permission.

Of all the learned behaviors she exhibits, the one that gives me the biggest thrill is that Maya has finally learned to catch treats in midair!  She really is brilliant.