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Post by Flare on Apr 7, 2020 12:16:26 GMT -6
He'd visited the library earlier in the week, and found a section on training animals in the 'husbandry' section. On consulting a tumai to common word book, husbandry was the working with of animals. From caring for them to training to even ride them. Ride something? Ha. The book he pulled out described a technique alled a food lure. A magnet for the dog's nose that would draw the head almost anywhere normal. The goal would be to get Shabh to eventually lay down without treats. More so he could reach him at a manageable angle then push him downwards. Didn't want to force the canine to do anything he didn't want to do. 'You're giving him too much freedom' would likely be what others thought, but Flare considered the rakai his companion, an equal rather then his possession. The dragon hound had no difference in visible opinion after his drastic change last month and treated him just the same. {Down Shabh} he coaxes, drawing his hand straight down between the rakai's paws with another treat in hand. Lower this time. It seemed to work, since Shabh's head follows straight down, licking and trying to get some sort of grip on the treat that he could not get. {Good boy. Good down.} THe hand opens and he gets his treat. They try this again until he finally reaches the ground and lies down. Finally, the rakai gets his breakfast. Lay Down 3 3.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 8, 2020 21:16:57 GMT -6
The book described to slowly ease off the lure into hand signals and then simply to either signal or the vocal command. After the breakfast is finished, and Shabh stops licking his bowl for any remnant scraps, not that he received little to eat or anything, Flare took his cane-staff, twirled it to hold in reverse, hooking the bowl on the handle so he could retrieve it without dropping down in height. As he took the bowl to clean it with some water and a bit of grit rock to smooth tou the porousness, he saw Shabh nosing about in the small pile of toys that he'd acquired in the last year or so. Since the youth had come to town, and the plants didn't really 'play' with toys, he kept the toys on this side of the plot. Nosing aside the various balls and tugs to find his toy of interest, a squeaky cinnamon roll toy. It was tougher then what his puppy jaws could handle, but his big dragon hound teeth could fit the rubber monster much easier. Retrieving it, he ambles back to Flare, dropping the toy with a shrill squeak at his feet, and barking once. Flare looks back at him, then at the toy. Ah, you wants to play. He asks the rakai to sit, and the dragon hound sits. {Down Shabh.} His hand moves down and Shabh sinks into his crouch on the ground. {Good boy. very good down.} He praises the pup and lets him up. He swats the cinnamon roll across the plot with a sweep of his tail. It SAILS. Lay down 4 5.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 8, 2020 21:50:46 GMT -6
Forget the thought that his alpha also had a tail, that never wagged. Shabh charged across the plot, all eyes on the bouncing roll. He pounces on the roll, making it squeak indignantly loud. So proud and so pleased with himself, Shabh picks up the roll in his maw and carries it back to Flare with his head and his tail held quite high and proud. He doesn't initially praise him, but instead {Down Shabh.} Erm? A small note of confusion as the rakai drops his toy at Flare's feet, and barks once. {No, down. Down Shabh.} Puzzled, but carefully with the extension down of his arm, just gradually, Shabh sank into a crouching laying down pose before him. {Very good boy shabh. Good down.} He releases Shabh with the praise and the hound nudges the toy back to him. Play? Play? {Sit...} Wait, why did he have to sit? But he sat. {Down...} Finally, reluctantly, but he did the thing. {Very good boy Shabh.} And WHACK the cinnamon roll went sailing, and the smell of food too? He'd been tricked! PLAY!!!! Seemed to have the idea now, which was excellent. Lay down 5 7.20 27/35 Shabh
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 18:59:02 GMT -6
Oh. They needed a break after that rileing afternoon. Flare had nothing more in mind then just being face first collapsed in his barrel to try and catch some well deserved z's. Did make sure to put out some kibble and fresh water for Shabh and make sure he seemed to be alright with being alone. He was wrong. Because after the very solid nap that turned into overnight, the tumaian woke up to find Shabh had shoved himself into the barrel, all curled up around his alpha's legs. Sound asleep. A little wiggling to try and wrest his leg from the lump of sleeping dog didn't seem to work until his knee hit the barrel edge. Thankfully it was a sound piece of carpentry and didn't fall over from the extra weight. Slowly, the rakai opened his eyes, stretched in the most awkward fashion and did one of those wide tongued yawns before looking at Flare with total normalcy of happy dog face. Tolerance 1 9.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 19:03:56 GMT -6
{So getting your own barrel. Out Shabh.} his alpha made finality noises and Shabh finally got himself untwisted to get out of the barrel. But but... it was comfortable! He'd only climbed in once before as a pup and got the same rejecting treatment. But thats what he did when spooked, sleep together with his brothers and sisters... but he'd not done this in ever. He trots away to do his morning business in his 'go' area while his alpha gets out and such, awkward three legs and such wiht a tail. After that, Shabh sinks into one of those really nice down dog stretches that can get the entire spine if he stretched out his tail as well with a huge yawn. Oooooh, that felt GOOD. Kibble and water and a small meal for his alpha later, he seems to be doing his business on that rock with something on it. What did he have in mind today to do? Today seemed like a good day to get him used to being handled and touched all over, for grooming and such. Shabh needed his own big bed now. Tolerance 2 11.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 19:12:48 GMT -6
Time for some mental imagery. How would getting Shabh to let a stranger handle and pose him in fitting ways to measure for a barrel bed even work? Probably posing his head, his tail, legs, and around the chest and such. like a hug? Would that start as a point? He had no problem with leading an excited rakai out into their adjunct plot and closing the gate behind him. No problem that Shabh probably had the muscle to try and jump the fence if he really wanted to. Those wings couldn't catch air, they were all bones. He can see the rakai wiggle with excitement from waist to tail, almost exciting his entire body as he let his jaw hang open and tongue out. What were they going to do today? Huh huh huh? Hm. Carefully, Flare walked over to the rakai, and stood next to him. Enough that he was touching the animal with his legs. How was he with being in his own bubble. tolerance 3 13.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 19:22:55 GMT -6
They stood together for a full minute or two before Shabh glances slightly back at his alpha, who isn't paying attention at all but still standing close enough to touch him. Uh... okay. He trots away to wait at the other end of the pen. But the alpha joins him again, literally standing close enough that they are touching. He's okay with this for a minute or so before the wagging and the lolling jowl pause. Why...? He leaves the touching distance again, and walks far enough away that Flare has to come to him again. And stand uncomfortably close to him for a third time. But when Shabh tries to leave this time, he's encompassed around the ribs by his alpha. Restricted from moving. Was he going to pick him up? The size difference wasn't that much now, he being a much bigger boy then previous. A disgruntled 'arrrm' noise came from him. What? tolerance 4 15.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 19:56:32 GMT -6
{Just hold still Shabh. Stay... Stay...} the alpha murmured as he continued to hold the rakai still, his arms encompassing Shabh's middle with a very awkward motion. He might need to use the rope too. To mime being measured and such. He can feel the rakai's breathing as he shuffles uncomfortably. He's not used to being hugged this long. Carried briefly as a pup, yes. COnsistently hugged like this, not so much. to the point of being restricted. The hugging isn't tight, like a squeeze, but a gentle restriction, of leaning his head into either the rakai's spine or his side, listening to the animal's heart and lungs, that have quickened in confusion and mild fear and a... bit of annoyance? {Shhh. Stay... its just fine. A few more minutes... Stay...} He tries to step backwards, but his elbows run into Flare's encompassing arms. Can't go foreward as his thighs can't step through or over. tolerance 5 17.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 20:21:01 GMT -6
Another minute passes and Shabh starts to wiggle again in discomfort, whining aubibly. He didn't like this very much. Until the restriction from above lessens and a treat is put in front of his nose. {Good boy Shabh. Good boy.} He finally says. The treat is gone, taking it with front teeth and tongue from his fingers. He rubs the rakai's ears and around his head, scratching his chin and neck. Good scratches, he likes it. Thump thump thump went his tail. But now he's... breathing in his ear? It feels WEIRD. Carefully, Flare has one hand on the rakai's head as he's peering into his ears, running a thin but rough finger along the membrane of the ear. Putting the ear very close to his face, to look into or smell into, weird, just... a bit close. {Stay... almost done. Good boy.} He gives the rakai a treat again, but shifts to the other side now. tolerance 6 19.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 20:54:36 GMT -6
The process repeats on his other side, with looking into, breathing into his ear. It feels VERY WEIRD. Shabh whines and tries to pull away but his alpha still won't let him. Carefully he tried to wiggle away, but no luck. Inhaling grumpily, the dragon hound grumbled and exhaled in a huff. {Good boy. Good stay.} he finally releases Shabh, who bounds away from him and shakes himself fully. A treat rolls towards him, and he snaps it up, but doesn't come near again. Pawing at his ears briefly, the rakai whines a bit. He does not like the breathing in his ear part. His alpha would never intentionally hurt him, but the closeness thing didn't make sense. But he doesn't want to get near for a bit. Flare lets him go rummage in the toy box and get his squeaky roll again. Perhaps he can use that to let him handle his limbs, because that would be next. tolerance 7 1.20 lv 71 Flare
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 22:11:44 GMT -6
The roll squ3aks loudly as he bites down on the rubber. He lvoes the feeling of the rubber in his teeth, of the feeling in his mouth. And the noise. It taste like rubber and happy. He lies down with his rubber and chews for a little while, alone and happy and to himself. FInally, he hears footfalls of three feet and his alpha comes to sit down next to him. It sounds hard because he makes a harsh noise as he sits down. Putting his third foot down beside him. Why his third foot is a stick, no idea. He tried to chew this stick once, and got told off. He continues to chew the roll until his paw is picked up. Huh? Oof, up and down from this far up with a cane-staff isn't easy for him. Flare winces a bit as he adjusts his posture. If Shabh moved away again, this might get complicated. But he takes the paw in his hand, and just... holds it. tolerance 8 3.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 22:29:56 GMT -6
Its a memory making feeling that Flare feels as he holds Shabh's paw, just a gentle grip on the toes. He has a memory of having his hand held when waking up after being very ill as a child. Shabh's nose, a wet nose, smells the top of his hand as he holds the paw, and licks the hand. Trying to pull it away, as he massages the fur on his toes with his thumb. The roughness of his finger pads and palm might be barby like the pads of an eagle's foot when catching fish. Tiny little combs maybe? {No Shabh. Stay... good boy. Stay.} he massages the paw briefly, and releases it, offering a treat in response. Puzzled, but pacified by the treat, Shabh woofs dismissively and eats the treat. But Flare picks up his whol leg this time, and holds it. Wait, what is he doing? tries to pull away, but the grip is gentle and he breaks it and gets up to be sitting now, taller then his alpha who is sitting too. Short torso be damned. tolerance 9 5.20
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Post by Flare on Apr 12, 2020 22:37:15 GMT -6
Its a sort of bait and repeat, since Flare offered him a treat as he took hold of the leg again, but Shabh pulled it out of his grip with a short melodramatic whine. The treat vanished in his hand then. {Treat for foot.} he says, but the rakai doesn't understand his own barks. A dismissive snort, and the rakai slowly allows his limb to be picked up and handled. He did get a treat for his effort, which isn't much effort. For each limb, Flare carefully handles like handling glass. The muscles he can feel under the fur and the scales, its so strong. What a good boy, as he examines each limb, including his tail. The dirty glower he got from handling his tail was brief, as he got two treats for handling his tail. It wasn't bad, as he got plenty of treats for the handling, and the adjusting. And finally released. WIth luck, this meant he could be measured by the artificer without any issues. {Good boy Shabh.} tolerance 10 7.20 33/41 Shabh
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