Mr. Itchy and the DEATH OF A CHEWY

Pixie was hard to motivate. When we got him he was not especially food driven nor did he like cuddles , ear scratches or attention. He was miserable due to allergies so he did enjoy body scratches, but that would set him off more so we did more soothing calming run the hand alongs then scratches. Eventually the medication stimulated his appetite and the E cone made his ears inaccessible so he learned to appreciate food and ear scratches form us and now they are a part of his every day happy life. I forget that he was not really into them, he has changed fundamentally and while I wish it were a bit less food driven NOW, at least it is a mighty motivator :)
As I have mentioned before, he was not much of a player. he was also not a chewer- unless it was himself of course :) Part of our distraction program was to allow him to lick (which drives Posy UP THE WALL- the sound), I would much rather he lick my hand arm wrist or ankle then chew hims poor self, and to engage him in playtime and teach him to chew on stuff. The play time took a while but he picked up chewies pretty fast. He likes to run around holding them and whining, to bury them (under the couch cover I am sitting on is a fave place) or somewhere in a bedroom, nothing like sliding under the sheets at night and encountering a half soggy chewy! Often though he will have no interest at all in them. We used to scatter them all over in hopes of attracting him with sheer volume, and when he is in the mood it works very well. If he is not in the mood he really cannot care any less :)
When he is in the mood, he is very focused and can spend hours working on it. When he pauses he sounds as if he is in a marathon, heavily panting , tongue hanging out almost exhausted. Very silly boy.
I know when he is done- he does the very intent "I NEED WATER' stare. If I happen to take a drink his eyes and nose follow the bottle or cup and sometimes his nose will actually touch the bottom with the stray lick along the edge.
He does not have a great deal of chewies, just now and then now that we have moved his interest. He will have a few more while whatever he is allergic to that is blooming is active, but he is happy to chew on lettuce ends, carrots and apple chunks in between. But it is funny to watch him fully engulfed in the DEATH OF A CHEWY mode, his obvious pride when the chewy has been reduced to the small chunk attached to the roof of his mouth (Posy has the fun job of removing it!), his aire of a job well done! The worst of his self-chewing has been re-directed and even his anxiety licking has decreased immensely.

Posy and Pixie- He is VERY excited about GGpas geese! "HEY! GEESE! I'm talking to YOU!"

"I'm going to GET you!" "Yeah? You think so? HAH! It is to laugh!"