Training this morning

Training at the group class went well today. Michelle brought me a new leash to use - it's a braided leather 4 foot leash with a ring on the end to make it into a hand leash as well. I really like it because I don't have to fold it up to use for Rally, it's just the right length for what I need it for. So I was excited about that =)

I got a couple more videos - one is of the heeling warm-up at the beginning, which was still pretty long, but we did other things in it this time like 1,2,3 steps forward-halt, and the 1,2,3 steps back-halt, and some stays and moving downs. Red did well and had good attention. He wasn't crowding me as much this time. I really concentrated on treating with my left hand (using popcorn this time) when he was giving me good attention. Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-68WERiDJY

After that, we did the Figure 8 exercise, which I got a video of this time. He didn't so as well as last week (figures!) but it was okay. There is one mess-up in the middle on a halt when he drifts out and into a crooked sit and I reposition him, but other than that, it was decent for him. Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJAEi1TOVk4

We did a new exercise today - which I didn't get a video of, but it was a good exercise. Everyone stood with their dogs at intervals around the outer mats (like when we start the warm-up heeling). We put the dogs in a sit/stay, walk directly across the room from where your dog is, then we called our dogs one by one. This was great distraction practice because the dog has to sit/stay with the distractions of other people calling their dogs and dogs running across the middle of the room in a recall. Red did really well the first time - I was really proud. Then we set up to do the exercise again, but this time after everyone was across the room from their dogs, one of the GSDs started growling and snapping at the dog next to it, so there was some commotion, and Red looked extremely worried sitting vulnerable across the room from me, he was shifting around, really wanting to come back to me, but knowing he was supposed to be in a stay, he didn't get up. The guy calling the exercise noticed and had me recall him, and Red came to me, though sort of made a wide arch to lick the hand of the women standing a few feet away from me. Not sure what that was about. So we stopped the exercise after that.

That GSD who started growling at the other dog tried to do the same thing to Red at one point too. It was after an exercise and Red had his tennis ball in his mouth, and the GSD came over and attempted to take it from him. Red sort of turned away, not really interested in the dog, but the GSD started growling, still going for Red, and then Red started growling. This all happened very quickly and I pulled Red away. I have no idea what the girl handling the GSD was doing - obviously not paying attention or it would've never happened. There are two GSDs in our group now - the one has been there since I started going and is a bit older with a male handler. This dog also has occasional dog-aggression issues, but it seems more fear-induced. This other GSD, the one who tried to take Red's ball today, just started coming last week. The handler is a younger girl who yells at him a lot and handles him roughly. He doesn't listen to her, or respect her much from what I can tell. I don't think this dog should be in this group because its obvious she can't control him, and he is dog-aggressive. I am thinking about saying something to Michelle about it, and maybe she can talk to Marc, the owner of the training facility (the one in the green shirt with one of the Rotts). I don't want it to escalate until the dog attacks and injures a dog or human before something is done about it.

Anyway, other than that, it went well. Even though Red really liked the popcorn and worked well for it, it was messy and I ended up dropping crumbs all other the place that the other dogs went for. I felt bad that it was a distraction for the other dogs when they saw a dropped crumb, but I didn't have any other treats to use. I tried to be careful and pick up any pieces I saw. But I guess you can say that it's good distraction training for the "leave it" command as well...