There it is. The sound. Penelope hears it. Her ears work like antennae trying to home in on its exact location. She locks it in. And we’re off. Me holding onto the extended leash as she tugs at the end trotting as fast as she can.
It’s the UPS Guy. Oops, he just turned left. We change directions in hot pursuit.
Penelope can pick up the sound of the UPS truck anywhere at any time. I mean that sincerely. We can be in another town altogether, and she knows when the UPS truck is close by. Not only that, she also thinks the FedEx truck is really UPS in disguise.
Walking her in another state and city, she sits down and politely watches the FedEx Driver deliver his package. He asks what she’s looking at. She thinks you’re the UPS Driver, I say, who gives her milk bones. He does not have one. She looks up at me confused. I shrug my shoulders. That’s what you get for having expectations, I say.
All it took was one biscuit, one time. It was a BIG biscuit. Now Big Brown has a devoted follower. Penelope would leave me for the UPS driver, I’m sure of it. She’s invited herself up the stairs and into the back of the truck looking for him and his milk bones. Twice.
If she’s in the house, she runs from window to window barking and hoping he will hear her and throw her a treat. She will divert her walk and cut through yards just to get to him in time.
Granted, she is very food motivated. But Penelope makes creating a new habit look easy. It’s all about being really invested in the outcome, the reward, I think.
Something like, Passion + Desired Outcome +Motivation = Habit- Forming Action and Reward.
Come on gals, we got this. If Penelope can do it, so can we.
Quick, someone throw me a milk bone!
