‘He’s very patient with his food and only eats when we give him permission to.
‘We put a treat for him on the board and then he’ll pick the square and eat the treat when we say he’s allowed to.
‘He enjoys anything with eating in it and is highly motivated by food.’
They’ve managed to train Hank to sit at the table and can make it look like he’s eating like a human – although it’s not exactly what you think.
To create the illusion, Max stands behind the dog, hidden out of sight, while using his hands to grab the bucket – making it look as if Hank himself is doing it.
‘We were inspired by the well-known Sesame Street sketch with the Weimaraner dogs,’ his owners said.Socialize your pet. This is especially important for puppies. Again – behavior problems are the number one reason dogs don’t stay with their families and don’t get adopted by new families. Lack of proper socialization can result in inappropriate fears, aggressive behavior, general timidity, and a host of other behavior problems that are difficult to extinguish once a dog is mature.
‘So we drove to KFC and ordered a giant feast for ourselves.
‘Max conveniently already had a full KFC outfit ready to go so it was just a matter of getting Hank and Max to fit into the jumper and then the fun began.’
The pooch also has plenty of other – more traditional – dog tricks up his sleeve; he can ‘speak’, shake, spin, bow, roll over, walk backwards and even retrieve his own leash.
He has also learnt how to turn the lights on and off in the couple’s home and clean up his toys.
Jennifer and Max said: ‘Hank is playful, curious, funny, adventurous, extremely loyal and loves people.
‘He is basically our shadow, and goes with us everywhere, he even has to be by our side on the toilet.’
While he has got the hang of lots of tricks, he still likes to misbehave from time to time. The couple say he particularly loves to steal and hide socks.
Jennifer and Max added: ‘He also loves playing fetch 24/7.
Make your own hammock-style car seat cover. The hammock style keeps the dog from getting hurt if he or she falls during any sudden stops or starts. Get the pattern here.
‘We have to hide any tennis balls in the house, otherwise he will constantly bring them up to us, put one in your lap and expect you to throw for the next few hours.
‘He also likes going for walks, absolutely loves the beach, and being challenged with new things.’
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