Week 8

We’re almost across the finish line! Molly and I have learned so much! I’m often surprised at how well Molly obeys commands. I am so thankful for the KMODT and the training provided by Roxanne, Jessi and Loni.

Here’s the 100 yard walk away down/stay. It was work for both of us. Molly had to maintain her position and I had to go for a long walk on a hot day!

Mike broke the video into parts. He thought one continuous video would be way too long, Apparently he also felt the need to narrate the whole thing. I’m just glad he comes along to help record so I’ll take what I get.😂

 

And she held her stay!!! Yay!

And Week 8 EXAM is uploaded.

Link to Week 8 EXAM 

Relaxation!!

 Here is our Saturday walk. It was so hot! 

We got up and out early Sunday morning to beat the heat. We started with the Longe line around the tennis courts then practiced heeling inside the fencing. Look at that beautiful sky!

Then time for the relaxation walk after her sit and down stays.

I was my own video recorder which explains a lot. My phone was propped up on a plastic cup filled with rocks to record the walk!

And here’s Molly now.

😂😂😂

The Relaxation Walk, Attempt #1

The Candy Mountain trail is one of our favorite places to go for a walk. We chose a part that is off the highway to make sure Molly would be safe if she went off the path. 

We started with a 3 minute sit/stay.

Classic Molly! She always closes her eyes on an extended sit/stay. She makes me laugh!

Then we did a 5 minute down/stay. I love her lady like pose!!

 

Then we were off! 

It didn’t take long for Molly to get distracted so, as Roxanne  suggested, I did about 10 minutes of brisk heeling.

Then back to our walk.

 

The home stretch with one tired little dog!

It wasn’t perfect but it turned out to be more enjoyable than I thought it would be!

8-24-22 FC Week 5 EXAM # 1: Vickster's Test with Ruth

 

Week 7, Take 2!

We posted our Week 7 exam last week and it was a pass! Yay! After watching our test, Roxanne gave me some pointers. We’ve been practicing and today we ran through the test again. This time I used a front place board for Molly’s sit/stays. In the first video you’ll see her “dancing”. The board helps give her stability and keeps her feet still.

Another thing Roxanne noticed is that I tend to sidestep toward Molly. When I do that, it makes her suspect of my feet! I’m actually making her move further away! Also when I move in toward her, I’m the one trying to maintain heel position, not Molly. She is responsible to stay in heel position, not me. So, I tried to follow the lines in the flooring in the hallway to walk a straight line rather than move in to her when I feel she’s moving away from me.

Here’s the video of us practicing Roxanne’s pointers during another week 7 exam. We’re still not perfect. You’ll see a few “ugh” moments but we are working together every day to improve. It’s all starting to make sense. My head gets it but my mechanics are not quite there yet. It just takes time, practice and patience. 

Week 7 100 yard stay

8-17-2022 FC W4, D3 for Ruth. WHAT A DAY!

Today is the 2-year anniversary of us seeing this home at 10 am, for the first time, and signing closing documents at 11 am. Two years. Wow, time flies.

We had an INSANELY EXCELLENT & EXHAUSTING Pack Run this morning.  

Week 7 Readiness Exam

This week was a little tricky. I realize how important my footwork and body language is to Molly, especially when off leash. A few times this week as we practiced she’d totally ignore me and wander off! We are nowhere near perfect but we’re learning to work as a team and really starting to enjoy it. At least I am, not sure about Molly!

After a week of practicing in our hotel’s hallway, we attempted the week 7 readiness exam today. 

We also practiced the walk about..

Week 7 EXAM

Link to Week 7 EXAM 

Week 7

It’s been a busy week so far. We’re in California visiting family. Molly and I have been trying to find the time and a place to work on our Week 7 homework. Roxanne suggested the hotel hallway so that’s where we’ve been every morning. This what we did today. 

We’ll be trying the off leash walk tomorrow before we start our drive home. Should be fun 😊

Molly loves my granddaughter, Stella. 

Week 7

 Week 7 is uploaded. ABOVE ALL ELSE, do NOT allow your dog to discover you don't have control. Always work to keep the dog in correct heel position at all times.

You can do this. So can your dog.

Roxanne

FC Week 6 mock exam Molly and Kira

8-9-2022 Ruth's training adventures today!

The ONLY warmup Ruth had was to "Place" and observe, then we promptly did her EXAM

 Link to 8-9-22 Ruth's FC W3, Day 17 EXAM # 1

Would you believe we did this first thing this morning? No warmups, no Pack Run, NO PRACTICE AT ALL. First time, EVER, I've done this EXAM with any dog without ANY "OUT's" for knocking one over. Ruth successfully passed this EXAM on her first try. WOW!

We got done and I saw these young people heading our way. So quick as a wink, I set up Ruth's Place Stool, commanded "Place" and stepped back to see what happened. Ruth was intensely interested in the young people running past her, BUT SHE DID NOT BREAK!!

We then did a Pack Run and I headed home.  It was still early, the temperatures were cool enough to head to the pond, so we did.  OH, WHAT FUN!

Link to Ruth's water retrieves

THIS IS RUTH. LOOK AT HER EXTENSION!

"Houston, I do believe we have a retriever dog in the making-:)"

Week 6 Exam

We did quite a bit of practicing with the TC this week. I didn’t hit the target 100% of the time but still it is very effective maneuver. It hit the right place often enough to get the point across. Come means come!

So now it’s that time of the week. Test time! As I’ve said before, Molly’s first love is food! So I used food as a distraction. I also three in a few of her toys. The ladybug is her absolute favorite!

After dinner, Mike had to pick something up from Home Depot. Ahhh…the perfect place for all kinds of distractions. Molly and I joined him.

We started in the garden department.

Then went inside the store.

We met a lady who works at the store who was impressed with Molly’s behavior. She went on to tell me her dog is in need of training. That was the perfect opportunity to tell her about this wonderful trainer I know!! Ha! It turns out she gets her nails done where Jessi works and has met Roxanne there before. I gave my testimonial as to how much the training has helped both Molly and I. She is going to contact Jessi to get more information. I told her it is so worth the time and money to have her pup trained by Roxanne and Jessi. It’s priceless!!!

Then there were these guys, very helpful distractions 😊

Molly still gets distracted but it’s good to know she responds to the TC or in her case because she is small, the throw pillows!!

 

week 6 Exam

Week 6 EXAM

Link to Week 6 EXAM 

8-6-2022 FC Week 2 ToL EXAM. Roxanne/Ruth

This was a first for me as I've never had to do over 500 Sits to get the Auto Sit with ANY dog before Ruth this past 2 weeks. But, the diarrhea, despite my home remedies and the vet's anti-diarrhea pill twice a day, continued. 

How can that affect a young dog's ability to learn the AS? Being ill affects the dog's ability to focus and that is what I observed over and over and over again with Ruth this past week since she got sick.

 While she still did normal things, her ability to focus and really learn my mechanics for the Auto Sit simply did NOT connect for her.  This session on Thursday was NOT good at all-:(

She went to the vet again yesterday, Friday 8-5, got x-rayed as well as had blood drawn so we could ck her. She did great and turns out she has a VERY tiny stone inside, but that will pass. BUT she has a VERY inflamed colon.  

Yup, she's nearly 40 lbs right now.

So last night she went on more meds, got more protein, chix and quinoa (blood work shows she's low which after having diarrhea for a week would deplete any dog of protein), and just a 2 mile hike up the mountain this morning.

Alongside the road this morning. Three BEAUTIFUL bucks!

At the top of the hike, the clouds in the valley look like water, don't they?

Got home, let her play with Redd while I did some gardening, then kenneled her before doing yet another Week 2 ToL EXAM.

THIS TIME RUTH WAS ABLE TO FOCUS ON MY MECHANICS AND 'READ' WHAT I WANTED HER TO DO, THE AUTO SITS.

Watch closely the attention I get from Ruth in this sequence.

  

AND THIS IS A PASS!!!

FINALLY.  Onward to Week 3 at last.