Starbucks and Saturday Market Outing

So I have taken the dogs out to all kinds of places this week!

Coastal

Petco

Lowes

Home Depot

Another hardware store

The park

Everywhere we went I took treats and the dogs interacted with people from babies to grownups and everything in between. And who knew that running a few errands can get a dog so mentally tired because of all the stimulation!

Today we took the pups to Saturday market and Starbucks. The dogs were really good, social, and calm. At Starbucks the dogs just lied down. "Bark" mode only happened once for Lucy and it was a single bark at a motorized wheelchair. She responded to my sit and with hundreds of people around she was very gentle and social amd curious about all of her surroundings. 

I've always taken my dogs on traditional walks like tons of parks and hikes, but I never made a real effor to take them to lots of new places and different situations. I used the shoppig cart at home depot and Lucy quickly got accustomed to the sound of loud air conditioning, loud lumber, etc. It's so simple and yet I never did it consisently and often. So I am really excited about her progress in just one week.

One thing that was interesting to learn was that Lucy seems to do better when another confident outgoing dog was there. I took her out with Tucker today and multiple other tomes this week and she did really great. Last night I took her to petco by herself and she was a little bit less confident. She never entered bark mode, but her tail was a little lower and she had a cautious look in her eyes when w ewere just standing around. When I was walking her around petco her tail was really wagging. But standing around she was cautiois and a little unsure, but still let people pet her and took treats, dhe wasn't as 100% enthousiastic about it.

Today when she was with tucker it didnt matter whether she was standing around or walking or anything, she was great the whole time! It's so good for her to be surrounded by so many different smells, people, sounds and sights!

Here are photos of our outing today:

Meet Billie!!

Billie is the latest addition to our family. As you can see, he clearly thinks he is a dog!! We will definitely be trying to raise him as such: car rides, leash training, taking him everywhere we would take a dog!!! Here are pictures:

Improving confidence

 I have now had Lucy for exactly 2 years! Heres the photo I took of her the first day I had her: 

As you can see from the photo, she has always had a tentative cautiousness about her. She was 11 weeks old when I took her home and 'sickly' because she had special care needs the first couple months I had her. As a result, her socialization started late. 

Today, I took her and Tucker to Coastal, Home Depot and Petco! We walked all the aisles. Tucker is more outgoing by nature and Lucy picked up on his energy and was copying him.

I've always called Lucy a "fake guard dog". Sometimes she will bark at people when she firsts meets them. Sometimes she's completely friendly. Sometimes she doesn't bark at all. Sometimes it seems like a protective thing, other times it seems like a confidence thing. She's definitely not fear agressive and would never bite someone. 

I love this dog so much!! I just want to be the best dog owner I can be. I can definitely help with the confidence thing, especially by taking her to new places with good experiences. Maybe if I spend more time with her and REGULARLY  take her to new places, that will help her confidence. I definitely saw her be extremely confident today when she was imitating another confident dog!!! Here are the happy puppies: 

Proof that Lucy made progress in one day:

At the end of the day, we were at home and the neighbors were out and at first she barked at them. And they were like come here baby really friendly etc.  THAT ALWAYS MAKES HER BARK MORE!!! I don't know why but the more people try to approach her, usually it just makes her bark more. She is most comfortable when people are disinterested in her and she will then freely approach them. She doesn't like it when bew people approach her. And guess what the heck she did??? She worked through her fear and APPROACHED THEM LICKED BOTH PEOPLE AND SAID HELLO.

This is amazing because once Lucy enters bark mode, it doesn't stop until the person stops being friendly. Then, she will be friendly by approaching when she's ready on her terms. Yeah, I know my dog is a weirdoooooo. But I love her and I wouldn't trade her for the world. But now that I've stumbled on a confidence booster (Tucker and other confident dogs!), I'm going to commit to taking her more places when there's another confident dog present she can take her cues from.

Lucy and Tucker 2 years old!!

Switching the training approach...

After reaching out for suggestions, I'm ditching the confronting Lucy with smelly situations and testing recall knowing she's probably not going to come. Instead, the focus will be on lots of recall fun games. Reinforcing what she already knows. Setting her up for lots of success. Even introduce the whistle for recall! Lucy is starting to test boundaries. Right now, I need to have patience and build trust. Build the successful habit of a willing happy trusting recall. Back to basics.

So tonight we went on a walk. She did well with loose leash walking. Had a treat every ten-fifteen steps. Off-leash, we even practiced the same cue "Nice" and she walked a slow controlled pace perfectly matching my step:) so she understands something there! She still gets excited and wants to just lunge after a smell, but I tried to be patient and halted until she let the leash slack again.

For recall, we just had fun with it. I only called her when I knew she would come. NOT when she was sniffing something. 

I did introduce the whistle tonight! When she was already full speed towards me, I did three short blasts. Eventually she'll associate with "come". I think this is important because the whistle can be heard from a long ways a way and can be useful for recall at the beach, dog park, hiking, etc :)

After the walk, I even had her wear the halti inside for about 30 minutes! She didn't even complain and for once didn't seem to mind it! Excited to condition her to be able to wear it on a walk to reinforce loose leash walking skills!

Introducing the whistle and practicing loose leash walking remind me of how much fun training can be. Especially when the puppy starts to get it... It's just so much fun!! 

So that's what needs to happen. All approaches need to be based on fun. It makes me want to teach Lucy other fun little things because it's just so much fun for the both of us. I also see the importance of going back to the basics and reinforcing what she already knows.

As for recall... I'm frustrated she won't come when called when there's a smell involved. So instead of forcing it (confronting the situation)... I'm going back to the super fun recall games she loves. And reinforce the good behavior. Build up success success success and put lots of play into recall. Reinforce that foundation and perhaps then she will be more inclined to come when called when faced with a tempting distraction.

Just lots of fun!

Loose leash walking and recall - ramblings as we learn!

Tonight we did ten steps or so, then

treat. Used cue "nice". I can see her thinking about it. Did that for about twenty minutes. Then let her just have fun off leash for about ten. I'm impressed with her understanding of this, especially given we did it when she was full of puppy energy after being cooped up all day.

Lucy loves smelly things. And when I pull her back to me in these moments (on lead) she hates it. Don't want to force her. But she needs to understand come means now. Not sure how to work on that. She's being very stubborn in that specific circumstance.

Maybe I need to make recall the funnest game ever like I did when she was a puppy. Maybe even try some boiled chicken. Maybe switch it up and run in the opposite direction so she learns to check in more and stay more in time with where I am. All I know is she loves smelly things, and when she smells something she tuned me out and she will come back - but only after smelling the thing she's so curious about.

Still conditioning her to wear halti inside. Still doesn't like it, but isn't protesting it as much as before.

Weekend dog park adventure

We went on a 2,5 hour romp at the local dog park. Recall was 100%. We even practiced loose leash walking for about 5 minutes. Out of sight stays at a new (other) setting were pretty much horrible. 

She got a good walk everyday this week.

I'm hoping that base will make training easier. 

Hoping to do several sessions on loose leash walking this week. 

Tonight going to put on the halti indoors for more conditioning for her just to wear it.

First loose leash walking lesson in months

So tonight we did 20 minutes off leash walking. And then I put Lucy on the leash while buddy was off leash. At first she only wanted to run after buddy. The leash was super taut and I remained motionless for probably a couple minutes. Then she finally focused back on me came and sat by side. Click and treat. Step forward she would try to dart forward again. And then awhile later she would relax. Sit and come back to my side. Click and treat.

Then we got into a rhythm of 5-7 steps of her walking slow like I was, click and treat while walking. 

Then she got distracted and bored. Patience. A few minutes later, back into the same rhythm.

Lucy is definitely a puppy that needs to learn impulse control. But it's gonna take patience and persistence on my part!! January we will be working on lots of recall while on lead and loose leash walking!

The exercise, while painstakingly slow it seemed, took probably only 20-25 minutes out of the hour long walk.

I've been very consistent recently walking the dogs everyday as well. I think regular walks are a huge part of building trust with the dogs. It makes them happy and balanced. 

I'm really excited to work on this stuff. And I've gotten super excited about introducing the dog whistle as a training tool to teach recall as well.

All in good time!

And as for day 3 of introducing gentle leader... Lucy still isn't a huge fan. Lol.... Haven't even attached the leash yet. We'll see on that one.

7 months old!!! January training goals

Where oh where did the sweet little puppy go?! 

So Lucy is 7 months old! So young yet so big! Chewing on everything, jumping, endless energy, thinking twice about coming when called, not so great on the leash... It's time for puppy to learn some manners!

The holidays were crazy and now here we are:) 

January goals:

1. Coming when called: proofing against smells. Lucy will be on the leash 90% of the time. She's grown up and loves to smell stuff. But she takes her time smelling things. It's time for her to learn that come immediately... Not 20 seconds or a minute later....

2. Loose leash walking. I know how I'm supposed to do this but haven't had the patience. I tend to just go exercise my dogs places they can be off leash. 

Right now I'm conditioning Lucy to wear a gentle leader. She's not the biggest fan so we are going to be practicing with her just wearing it indoors for awhile. Tonight's session went pretty well. 

If I'm going to make progress on loose leash walking, I want her to wear the gentle leader on the times we aren't training. I need it as a back up tool.

What I mean is, if I'm going to be spending all this time reinforcing that it's only acceptable to go forward when the leash is loose, then every time she's on the leash we need to reinforce that concept. And since it's not practical to make every outing a training session, that's where the gentle leader comes in:)

And again... I'm not planning on depending on the gentle leader 100% just as a reinforcement tool.

This dog is super smart. She might be a crazy puppy but it's time to put her to the test. I know she's capable of this stuff!!!

Here are some pictures of her getting used to the gentle leader:

In other news, buddy remains the perfectly well behaved dog. Lucy has some big shoes to fill!

Lessons from four legged friends

Lately, everything at work has been crazy. Heavy workload, lots of hours. On top of that, I've been trying to find just the right words for my personal statement for law school. Everything is a little bit jumbled, a little bit crazy, a little bit all over the place.

Last night, all I wanted to do was go home and go to bed. Then I thought - I had only taken my dogs on 3 walks last week... Friday night... Saturday and Sunday... when I wasn't working. And I thought - what am I doing if I'm not making time to walk the dogs?

Walking the dogs is always one of the highlights of my day. Buddy and Lucy playing, running back and forth, wrestling, jumping, splashing - like they don't have a care in the world. It always makes me smile. Lucy loves the mud like crazy, and we live right next to a big pond surrounded by swampy muddy marshes in the ditches surrounding the path.... such clowns.

I have to make time for stuff like this. I have to take time to be non-productive. I just have to.

So last night we went out and it was raining and dark at 6 P.M. And it was great. Nobody was out there. I swear people just hibernate and crawl under the covers at the slightest hint of rain.

This is one of the things I love about fall -- how other people just disappear until Spring and the world just feels like it is yours alone. So we went hiking on a popular trail by our house - and there wasn't a soul to be seen. No one could be bothered with a little drizzle.

November training goal: proofing recall

This month Lucy did so good! She learned:

Touch

Up up 

Out of sight stays 

Stays with distractions

Lots of practice on recall

Lots of socialization specific walks

She's getting bigger, faster, smarter,

braver... And possibly sweeter??

More independent... I can just see it. I knew it was coming. Wandering off here and there... 

And her legs will get longer. And she's going to get bigger and stronger... This month I want to work on proofing recall!

I want to focus on finding out her weaknesses and working on recall response on as many distractions I can think of.

One of Lucy's biggest distractions is something that smells really amazing. She'll come but it'll be after she's done sniffing X. So we're going to do some walks with the long leash and if she doesn't respond right away ill do a slight tug on the leash:)

Especially as she makes the transition from tiny cute puppy who sticks right by your side to independent big dog that has a mind of her own ... I think it's a good time to really focus on recall... The most important thing she'll ever learn!

Lucy 22 weeks and dressing up

30 pounds here

Lucy learns "up up" and "touch"

So one of the dorky things I want to teach Lucy when she's big enough is to turn off the lights. I read somewhere that teaching touch and up up are good foundation behaviors for building up to turning off the lights. Here's what she's learned the past few days:

So this is what it's like having a friendly dog...

It was such a wonderful weekend! We went to a corn maze and the dogs were allowed to come with. I seriously can't get over the fact how wonderful it is to have a dog that is friendly with people and dogs. This is a dog that I don't have to worry about biting someone else. I don't have to be on edge for that one little thing that could make her skittish and afraid and make her prone to bite. It's just not in her. She is so happy and friendly - there's not an aggressive or fearful bone in her body. There aren't enough words in the world to express how great it is having a dog that I can take anywhere dogs are allowed: hiking, the beach, the park, crowded public spaces - it doesn't matter! She's good to go. It really is such a great feeling.

Success: Learning out of sight stays!

Out of sight stays.

This was one of our goals for October. And with lots of practice at meal times, Lucy is finally starting to get the hang of out-of-sight stays (no distractions yet). I’m really surprised at  how she just became rock solid at this all of a sudden. Lol -  a month ago she had zero concept with this. Lol if I even turned my back for a second she might break the stay. Now, I can leave the room for thirty-sixty seconds and she’ll maintain the stay. Not trying to torture her for anything longer than that.

This is important for a lot of reasons. I.E. having dogs be calm and in one place while I’m busy doing something and don’t want them getting in the way/tripping over them. There are just a lot of random situations where it’s good to have the dog stay for a short period of time. Plus, it’s a fun mental game for doggie.

We’ll just continue to do it in lots of situations. Not going to add distractions + out of sight stay for awhile because I just want her to keep up the good work on this one for awhile.

Lucy and Buddy playing!!

Lucy 21 weeks

30 pounds here 

Splish splash makin a mess

Puppy gang gets together for some muddy wet splashy fun