The Bucket game (English version)

Pleun has had an ear hematoma twice and even though we made some progress training her, she’s still scared of having ointment put on her ear. If I pick up any tube, even if it’s just toothpaste, she walks away. The bucket game works for her and now, a day after filming this, the problem is solved. In this clip you see me rewarding anything she does with the bucket. Any interaction is rewarded, except for eating from it or pushing it over. Starting when she was just a puppy, over 10 years ago, she has been taught that looking at a container with food and making the right choice will have good consequences. The right choice is waiting until she is given something, without cues, intimidation or signals. She has learned that impulse control is the way to get something, not just taking it. This game takes it even further. It is great for husbandry, especially if the dog is scared of some procedures. It also works to prevent problems down the road.