Saturday Morning Training

I REALLY didn't want to get out of bed this morning. Oh how I would've loved to sleep in, but I can't pass up an opportunity to train...

No one showed up except me and Red, Michelle and Maisy, and a girl I've never met with a Papillion. It was kind of good, though because we worked on things we needed to work on instead of following the usual schedule of exercises. A few things here, a few things there.

Started off by talking about fronts on recalls. He is still swinging his butt out to the left (his right). We tried little short back-ups to try to line him up, and also placed boards down to make him sit in between the boards. It was better but still not as straight as it should be. At home, I can try lining up cones for this purpose. We thought if all else fails, we'd only lose a point or two for a slightly crooked front on recall... But in the meantime, NEVER give a food reward for anything less than perfect (use praise only).

Did some heeling. I put the leash around my back to help correct the forging and it seemed to help. I rewarded for good position and eye contact.

Since Red had trouble with the off-set figure 8 using stuffy toys yesterday at the match, Michelle brought out some bowls and cones, and we put toys in the bowls for the distraction. The first run-through was ok - still some bumping going on. But the second run through was perfect! No bumping and excellent attention! Very happy with that.

We did recalls next. I returned to him at once on every recall to solidify not doing the false start when he hears "call your dog". I've been having James practice with me at home saying this and he's been getting better. We set up for a short recall, and found myself move to him as he was coming in crooked - not good. Next one, still a short recall, he came in and I think I backed up a little but he was still not straight. Praise but no food reward. The third time, Michelle wanted me to go the whole distance to see what he would do. I returned to him twice because he kept flinching when she said "call your dog". On the third time back, I actually called him ("Red, front!"), and he came in perfectly straight and sat in a very straight front!!! Extra praise and food rewards for that! I was so happy - that was the best recall he's done in months and months - or maybe ever. I hope it wasn't a fluke!

Then onto the figure 8. Some bumping on the first try, but the second try was better. I sort of twisted my shoulders on the inside turns to help give him notice that I was turning, and it seemed to work. I know that is an extra signal to the dog, but maybe if I can get him to notice a very slight one, it will help.

We did sits/downs next. We only did the 1 minute sit and 3 minute down, because it was only Red and Coco the Papillion doing it, both Novice dogs. Left him in the sit, and he went down pretty much right away. WTF??? He hasn't done that in ages. Went back and corrected him and left him again. Michelle had us return and start over again. No food reward. The second time we left, the papillion went down pretty quickly and the girl returned to her and told her to SIT and at that command, Red started to go into a down. UGH!! He didn't go all the way down, but sort of halfway. He stayed that way til I returned. Again, no food reward. The long down was completely fine and uneventful.

I got out the dumbbell next. Red is at the point now that he is excited to see it because it means LOTS of treats and good things. I had him retrieve it a couple times on flat and then ran the other way so he came back to me, then turned and sort of inched in front of him telling him to sit, and he sloooowly sit while still holding the db. Then I'd take it from him and JACKPOT!! Did that again and he did great again. Another jackpot. Michelle got out Maisy's db and threw it, and Red proceeded to run over to it, take it, and then prance back to me and slowly sat for me to take it. Praised and rewarded. Michelle was so happy with this because it means he WANTS to retrieve it, and we don't want to ever correct him for taking the db (even if its Maisy's!). So I'd take it from him and give it back to Michelle, and she'd throw it again for Maisy and Red would go and take it again. He did this probably 3 or 4 times until I finally had to distract him with something else so Maisy could have a turn!

We got out the jump next, still practicing the 16" for rally. Red jumped it fine and we practiced him coming right back to heel instead of running past me. After a couple jumps, he started getting lazy and hitting it. No food reward for that, and he kept going, lined up and took the jump again until he cleared it without knicking it, then he got rewarded and released. Michelle had an extra PVC pipe jump there that she GAVE to me! Along with the bar that has paper on it to drape down to resemble the panel jump instead of the bar jump. I was so happy! Now we can practice at home without using buckets and a broom! She said she might have a broad jump for me to have, too. That would be awesome because I haven't practiced the broad jump hardly at all.

I told Michelle that it seems like all this was meant to be - me taking that one advanced obedience class that she happened to be instructing. Because if I would've never met her, I would never have done any competing at all or gotten this far. When people ask me who I train with, Michelle tells them I am self-taught, but I think Michelle should take some credit, because she has helped me sooo much she doesn't even realize! I'm so lucky to have found a friend like her! Thanks, Michelle - love ya girl! =)