Me: Bear, we are going to work on "Leave it" and "Take it"
Bear: (Looks at me suspiciously) What does that mean?
Me: I will hold a treat and tell you to "Leave it" and you don't eat it until I say "Take it"
Bear: (Snorts) That's the silliest thing I've ever heard
Me: That may be true, but you still need to learn (Holding treat in flat of my hand) Leave it
Bear: (Looks at treat and tries to grab it from my hand)
Me: (Closing hand just before Bear gets to treat and feeling his teeth on my knuckles) Bear: Leave it
Bear: Treat! (Tries to lick fingers open, tries to stick nose between fingers, puts paw on my hand and tries to dig my hand open)
Me: Bear, Leave it
Bear: Sigh, do what?
Me: Leave it (Slowly starts opening hand)
Bear: Treat! (Jumps towards my hand)
Me: (Closing hand)
Bear: Mother, this is silly
Me: I'm good with that. Leave it (Slowly starts opening hand)
Bear: (Starts to move towards hand)
Me: Leave it!
Bear: (Sits) sigh (Looks intently at treat)
Me: (1 second count) Take it
Bear: Finally! (Snatches treat) Are we done?
Me: I want to do it a couple more times for this session (holds treat in hand) Leave it
Bear: Treat!!!
Blanket Fairy
Bear: (From the other room) Mom!!! Mother!!! Mom!!! OMG, Mother!!!!
Tramp: Please tell me you didn't wash his blanket again, he is STILL mumbling in his sleep about that.
Me: No blanket washing today.
Bear: (Running as best he can while dragging two blankets, drops them in front of us) See Tramp! I told you there was a blanket fairy!
Tramp: Blanket Fairy?
Bear: Yes! She put two new blankets in my kennel, see!
Tramp: (Looking at me) Are you going to tell him the truth?
Bear: What? What Truth?
Me: Blanket Fairy? Sounds good to me, she gave you two?
Bear: Yes! See! They are soft and MINE!
Me: Shouldn't we put them back in your kennel so they are safe?
Bear: (Freezes, looks at me) Mother, you are not washing these blankets.
Tramp: Since they are new don't they smell funny anyway?
Me: Tramp, hush. Bear, why don't you take them back to your kennel so you can get all your blankets arranged together.
Bear: Oh! Good idea! (Picks up blankets and walks/stumbles back towards his kennel carrying the blankets)
Tramp: No wonder he's such a pill, blanket fairy? Really?
Mom?
Bear: (Nosing my leg)Mom?
Me: Not right now, I'm working
Bear: Ok
10 seconds later
Bear: (Nosing my leg) Mom?
Me: Bear, still working
Bear: Ok
10 seconds later
Bear: (Nosing my leg) Mom?
Me: (Turning and petting Bear)Bear, I'm still working
Bear: Ok
10 seconds Later
Bear: (Nosing my leg) Mom?
Me: Bear! I'm working, go play
Bear: Ok
10 seconds later
Bear: (Nosing my leg) Mom?
Me: (Turning around to face Bear) What????
Bear: Hi Mom
Tramp: (Snorts) Took you long enough!
Me: You, I can squash
Bear: (Picks up his chew toy and heads off, tail wagging)
Squirrels!
Me: (Opening backdoor letting the dogs in while stepping outside and closing the door.)
Bear: No!!!! Mom!!! You can't be out there alone!!!!
Me: Really?
Bear: You're gonna get eaten!
Betsy: Eaten? By what, the squirrel?
Bear: Mom!!!!!! We have to protect you!!!! (Scratches frantically at door)
Me: (Picking up small log of wood)
Bear: My chew TOY!!!!
Me: My firewood! (putting log back on wood pile)
Bear: Ugh Mother! It's bad enough you move my stuff in the house!
Me: (Picks up flat hedgehog and surrounding white fluff)
Bear: Wait! Mom, what are you going to do with that?
Me: Throw it away.
Bear: Mom! You can't, it's my favorite! I love it, I won't be happy without it!
Me: (Dropping toy remains in trash) I suspect you will survive.
Bear: No!!!! My Favorite toy!!!!
Tramp: Please tell me you are coming back in soon so we don't have to deal with him alone….
Duct Tape
Mom Comment: It has occurred to me that life with Bear would be ever so much easier without ANY blankets, sheets, towels or any other fabric type things….
Me: (Carrying MY blankets to be washed)
Bear: Blankets!!!!! (Launches at blankets trailing behind me)
Me:(Sigh)
Tramp: And just when I thought it was going to be a boring afternoon.
Bear: (Standing on tail of one blanket, grabbing a second blanket and PULLS backwards)
Me: The only saving grace right now is the fact that the blanket you are standing on is still moving.
Bear: Mom! I love them!
Me: Don't get attached, you aren't getting them (finally getting to the washer)
Bear: Mom!!! I need more blankets!! Mine is messed up!
Me: If by messed up you mean "smells funny" these are going to smell the same way. (Feeds a couple blankets into washer, drops the rest into the basket in front of the washer. Pulls utility room door mostly closed)
Bear: (Squeezing between my legs and climbs into the basket, grabs one and starts backing out the way he came)
Me: Oh no you don't (steps on blanket)
Bear: Mother!
Me: (Scooting Bear out of the room, closes door all the way)
Bear: (Puts paw under door and starts rattling it)
Me: Really?
Bear: But, Blankets!!
Me: Bear, I am positive I have enough duct tape to keep you on the ceiling for the rest of the day if you don't stop!
Tramp: Dude! He got a duct tape threat…
Lady: I knew is was just matter of time….
Betsy: Can I watch?????
Encouragement
Tramp: Mom! Bear is stealing my blankets!
Me: (Walking into the room with their kennels) Bear?
Bear: (Dragging Tramp’s blankets into his kennel) What?
Me: What are you doing?
Bear: I want more blankets
Me: Two towels, one sheet and a blanket isn’t enough?
Bear: No!
Me: Wait, how exactly did you get his blankets, he has a small kennel.
Bear: Like this (Squeezes into the kennel designed for dogs up to 20 pounds, “turns around” and comes back out, head first)
Me: Wow, I’m impressed, how on earth did you turn around in there?
Tramp: MOTHER, Do NOT encourage him!
Me: Right, like it’s going to make a difference in what he does.
Bear: So can I keep the blankets?
Tramp: NO
Me: No, but if you want I will wash all of yours so they will be clean and warm tonight
Bear: (Launches into his kennel) No!!!!!!!
Tramp: (Grabs his blanket and drags it back to his kennel mumbling)
Snowtrill's Space 