Drew has dreams of becoming a service dog one day, so he is learning to “TOUCH” those scary objects he will inevitably encounter throughout life. To help him associate that vacuum with something positive, I started out by putting a few treats on it and said “TOUCH” every time his nose touched the vacuum. Next I will point to it with a treat in my hand, then progress to just my finger using the “TOUCH” command followed by a treat. This exercise can be used on trash cans, boxes, medical equipment, wheelchairs, etc. Don’t worry Drew! Even though you look like a rug I still won’t vacuum you up!
