Teaching an old dog a new trick

Our Scotchy dog loves to ride in the pickup. She has always gone with us and enjoys a ride anywhere, but lately her hips are starting to bother her some and jumping in the pickup means she will be sore for several days, so we decided to try a ramp for her. I knew it wouldn’t be really easy because she doesn’t like strange things and she likes to jump. 

The first thing was to find something that would work as a ramp. Like a board that was the right width and length that wasn’t slick. While I was doing chores at Angie’s, I found the perfect board that had been discarded during a construction project: it has paint on one side, but is quite weathered, so the surface is quite rough. Next came the fun part: getting Scotchy to actually walk up a ramp and not just go up beside it and leap into the pickup anyway. 

So, out came the leash. She rarely wears a collar because she never leaves our place, so I have a slip leash that it totally awesome. I put the ramp in place, put the leash on her and led her over to the ramp. She wasn’t sure about it at all, but after some patience and foot placement she did go up the ramp. The prize was a ride up to the county road to pickup up the mail. Then it was back home and the getting down the ramp lesson and that went smoothly! She just trotted right down the ramp. After that, I put her in and out a few more times just for practice. 

Later that evening she went up the ramp again and we went to the shop to pick Rick up. I put the ramp in place and let her out just in time for her to run to the door and greet Rick just as he came out. He was quite surprised because he knew I hadn’t been letting her ride in the pickup, but he then got to see her get in and out of the pickup. By now she was looking quite pleased with herself for learning a new trick. 

Now it is becoming a common thing for me to put the ramp down and load her up. We go for a short ride and then she is happy and isn’t hurting when she gets home because of having to jump into the pickup. 

I am glad she learned so quickly. It is hard for me to tell her “no,” and now she can have a ride once in a while and not be so sore afterwards. It is a win-win and proof one really can teach an old dog a new trick. 

Avalanche Cookies

½ cup mini chocolate chips

2¾ cup white chocolate chips

1¾ cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups crispy rice cereal

1½ cup miniature marshmallows.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Put mini-chocolate chips in the freezer to chill. Put white chocolate chips in a large microwaveable bow and microwave in 25 second bursts until melted, stirring well until melted throughout. Stir in peanut butter. In another large bowl, add crispy rice cereal. Pour the chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the cereal and spread gently to coat, then stir in marshmallows. Let the mixture cool slightly, then gently stir in the frozen chocolate chips. Scoop onto prepared sheets with a cookie scoop. Top with more chocolate chips, if desired. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. Store in the fridge and serve cold.