Preparing for Buttons by Guest Author Jacky Newcomb

Using buttons with your animal friend involves a lot of different skills.

- They need to understand you

- They will want to think through a response

- Find the right button

- Press it hard enough to activate the button

- Know that each button has a different meaning!

That's a lot. So at first you'll only want to introduce buttons that use words they already know. Decide which those might be in advance and select 3 or 4 to get yourself started. 

You might like a toilet name. What word do you always use right now? Do you ask your animal if they want a walk? If they need to potty? Of perhaps you ask them if they want to poop? Everyone will use their own vocabulary. The beauty of recordable buttons is that it doesn't matter what words you use. You choose!

The second most helpful word might be 'Water' (or drink, or thirsty) and a word, which for  both of you, represents a drink!

I suggest the third button might be for 'food'. I call every meal dinner, but you might prefer asking if they are hungry or if they need to eat; whatever you ask right now!

The fourth button (if you choose a fourth) could be a play button or treat. Whichever gets your little friend the most excited. Label the words and place them in a mat (if your set comes with one) or velco to a mat of some sort. You will need the name or a sticker image to remember the button. Your pet will remember the position of the buttons!

Now you're ready to start training!

(Please can you put this text after every one, sorry I forgot with the first one).

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Jacky Newcomb is a multi-award winning, Sunday Times best selling author. www.JackyNewcomb.com 

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