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.