Robot Arm

Though Brenda's attitude has been improving lately she is still terrible in the mornings--and way too unpredictable for me to trust her enough to stick my hand into her crate and grab her leash. Before, I would try to coax her out with a treat or just simply wait for her to trot out on her own. That got tedious and time consuming.

That's where the fake robot arm comes in. It's one of those plastic toys with a handle on one end that you hold in your hand and when you push own on the lever, fingers on the other end open and shut. There's a long plastic rod connecting the two ends. (I got it for Ben as a gift for one birthday long ago). I now stick that into her cage, close the fingers around her leash, which she wears at all times, and give a little tug. Even though the fake plastic hand can't really grasp the leash, a slight forward momentum is all Brenda needs to hop up and wiggle and squirm, ready to start the day.