Category: Shayna’s Tricks

27Dec13: Shayna learning to play “the shell game”
After memorizing the names of fifty toys, being able to retrieve and put them away by name, stack her ring toys by name on a pole, and perform lots of other tricks, could Shayna learn to play “the shell game”? Watch this video and find out.

24Nov13 Triple training delight
In this video, I wanted to get a combination of Shayna’s top three skills: (1) Retrieving toys by name, (2) Stacking her ring toys, by name, on a pole, and (3) Retrieving one tennis ball or two, depending on the command (“counting”). I was able to get it all in just four minutes. Enjoy! […]

14Aug13: Ride to UVa, and toy training
Come along with us as we drive to the University of Virginia, then do our toy training. As you can see, Shayna was absolutely delighted. Keep in mind this video was taken 10 weeks after she endured heart surgery. Be kind – you’ll hear me singing an adapted version of The Temptations’ classic “My Girl,” […]

March 2013: Shayna’s continuing trick training, and more
30Mar13 Toy training at Albemarle High School On this relatively warm spring day, we did our training outside, and had a ball. As you can see, Shayna looks incredibly good, is running around like a maniac, and is feeling good. The end is as sweet as any moment in my life has ever been. […]

14Mar13 – Flash card training, and a shout-out to an old friend
This video shows Shayna doing her flash card toy retrieval training, and dunking balls in her new talking basketball backboard. Plus, I give a shout-out to a one of the employees at the CASPCA with whom I interacted from January-April 2002, Shaye, who was so helpful and patient as I began the long search for […]

19Jan13 – Toy training at Albemarle High School
It was a relatively warm day today (low 50s), so we did our after-lunch toy retrieval training at Albemarle High School. I comment in the video that she’s gotta be one of the smartest females I’ve ever met – which I guess either (a) means that she’s as brilliant as I think, or (b) doesn’t […]

19Dec12: Toy training at UVa
It was a gorgeous, unusually warm December afternoon, so I took Shayna to the UVa athletic fields to do our toy training today. She had a blast, as you can see. I am truly blessed – and I know it.

15Nov12 Shayna excited getting her toys by name
Considering the fact that two weeks prior, she was given a terminal diagnosis, and had been (to my eye) not far from it, to see this – to experience it, to feel her joy and love and warmth and optimism – was like cool water to my parched mouth. I have never known a more inspiring, loving “person” than Shayna.

Shayna’s “frisbee skiing”
July 2002: When she was about 6 months old, out of the blue, Shayna started teaching herself to use the frisbee in a new way: to go “frisbee skiing,” as I later called it.

Shayna on a rainy night in parking garage
Q) What does one do with a dog that loves to run, but hates water and soggy ground, when it’s pouring rain all day and night?
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