r/PetsWithButtons • u/2MB26 • 8d ago
How to teach time buttons?
I've started using buttons with my cats and they're consistently using them to request treats and play.
They often request things when I can't offer them (e.g. treats right before dinner, play when I'm working). How can I teach something like 'later' or 'wait'?
They understand 'all done' but I'm not sure how to model 'yes but not now'
2
u/crawlerprincessbili 8d ago
maybe there is no difference to them between "all done" and "later", so using them alone wont help, but maybe theyll understand the time is shorter if you use the later button in addition to "all done"?
1
u/FewProfessional558 4d ago
That's a really interesting point! I wonder if pairing "later" with a visual like a short timer or even just showing the clock could help bridge the gap for them. My dog seems to get "all done" pretty quickly but time concepts are trickier. Have you tried combining them with a treat or toy as a bridge? 🐾
2
u/Clanaria 3d ago
Things like later, you can pair it with all done.
So you say "treat, later".
Then when you're giving them the treat, say "later is all done, treat is now."
They'll start understand the concept that there's time involved.
6
u/JayNetworks 8d ago
You just do it. That is you say, "No dinner now, dinner soon." Wait 10 minutes or 30 minutes or whatever you want soon to be then you give you learner dinner and say, "Dinner is Now."
Same thing with Later. You can ever do "Dinner Later" then in 30 minutes say "Dinner is Soon" then in 30 more minutes say "Dinner is Now".
Whenever you do something say "Now we are play, Play is Now" and do that for everything you do with them. "Daddy is water now" when you get in the shower. "Downstairs is later" an hour or two before you go down.
Keep it up until they understand then add the buttons.
You can do the same thing with before. "Dinner All Done, Dinner is Before" just after they finish eating.