Boot Camp

[bizzylizzy]

I think they do find it hard work - (so do I as a matter of fact! ) - half an hour heel walking for Humphrey seems more exhausting than tearing around for a couple of hours off lead.......

[Blueberry]

Hard, hard work.  Still plodding round the same block, with more pulling than loose lead.  Stop, start, stop, start ...
This morning we had an extra distraction as, on our way out, we met a neighbour with her dog and walked with them - something we used to do regularly prior to Boot camp.  Blue was excited to see his pal, so paid little attention to me until we parted company with the neighbour at the end of the walk and did the last 100 yards on our own.
The increase in training treats is having an unpleasant knock on effect on (ahem) motions.  I'm trying to get more distance between rewards, but most of the time he's not actually interested in anything I've got to offer because 'There's THINGS to SNIFF!'.
Sigh.  Tomorrow's another day ...
Might try a little video tomorrow, and you can all critique 

[bizzylizzy]

Looking forward to the video Blueberry! ..   but please don't let Blue look tooooo good, am still feeling very inadequate after watching Henry (Londongirl)  - poor Humphrey's having a bad hair day!! 

[Londongirl]

C'mon now, if I can do it, anyone can! I should have done a 'before' video so you could have seen the whirling dervish on his hind legs at the end of the lead, charging through the undergrowth and dragging me and my poor shoulder with him.

[bizzylizzy]

 

[Blueberry]

Realised this morning that I am unable to record a video, walk, hold the lead, and hold the treats necessary for nice heel walking all at the same time!
I'll try and get hubs to do one tomorrow for me.
Meanwhile, we didn't walk as far today, but he behaved much better, although there is still a lot of pulling if he is distracted by any passers by or (especially) another dog walker.
He is so very friendly, he just expects to be allowed to greet everyone and accept their inevitable fussing.  Not that I am complaining, it's a joy to have such a sweet natured and friendly dog that loves everyone and is loved by them in return.

[Blueberry]

It's been a while since my last update, and I have been envious of those of you making such good progress!
Training is ongoing, but I had to abandon the idea of not going anywhere until nice heel walking was achieved and proofed in all environments, as we were both getting depressed by the monotony of plodding up and down the cul de sac, and I knew my temper was fraying.
So, the first walk every morning is a write off, a total pull fest, because he is so excited to be out, and desperate to get to his favoured toileting spot.  Once business is concluded. things start to settle down and I've noticed he is increasingly self correcting and then looking at me for his reward.  By late afternoon we can have a nice long walk, with little pulling.
Crossing the road and getting in and out of the front door are very well controlled now. 
The biggest problems occur on steep hills and narrow pavements, both of which we have in abundance in our village, and all of which lead to exciting doggy walking spots.  When he's dying to get somewhere, he loses the plot completely!
In the main though, I would say behaviour and obedience are much improved and I find he is much more co-operative when I am relaxed and have forgotten that we are supposed to be 'training'.

[Londongirl]

That is brilliant progress. You may find that the over-excitement on the first walk calms down if you carry on strongly reinforcing good walking when you do get it during the course of the day. Sometimes behaviours extinguish slowly. And it may also improve with age (his, not yours!).

Henry still pulls when we get out of the car and are about to set off into the park. I don't let him off the lead until we are well in and I have his attention (because recall is still an issue if I let him have his head) and he really strains to get going. But I'm finding that very, very gradually, that pulling is getting less and he has started to throw in a few self-corrections. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[bizzylizzy]

That's good news, - Blue sounds a bit like Humphrey really, the first few minutes or so are the same for us and then things do start to settle down a bit. I know how you feel and it can get so frustrating, I really just try ro keep reminding myself how he was a year ago but it is the inconsistancy that really gets to me. I  think your last sentence just about sums it up though, they do seem to be so sensitive to our moods and behave accordingly but the good news is, the better they become, the more relaxed we are and that hopefully will be the upward spiral towards perfection!! That's my theory anyway and I'm clinging onto it for dear life!! 

[ips]

I sympathise BL, its an ongoing struggle and even when you get something trained it needs constant maintenance. Totally agree re the mood thing. I have found that if I think she is not going to comply with a command for instance "leave that" then she will run for the bird or rabbit or whatever BUT if I give the command thinking she will comply then she does (usually) it's as though she can sense my confidence or lack of in her or she thinks "nah you don't really mean it and you cant really stop me"
I find the dog psychology aspect of training quite fascinating.....or should that be frustrating.....one of the two 😁

[bizzylizzy]

I sympathise BL, its an ongoing struggle and even when you get something trained it needs constant maintenance. Totally agree re the mood thing. I have found that if I think she is not going to comply with a command for instance "leave that" then she will run for the bird or rabbit or whatever BUT if I give the command thinking she will comply then she does (usually) it's as though she can sense my confidence or lack of in her or she thinks "nah you don't really mean it and you cant really stop me"
I find the dog psychology aspect of training quite fascinating.....or should that be frustrating.....one of the two 😁

It makes you think though doesn't it, - if we get frustrated, how must they feel having to try and make sense of our moods and whims and very probably inconsistant commands ... Wouldn't it be lovely to know what they think of us? - or maybe we'd rather not know! 

[sodpot2000]

Perhaps they have their own site(s) to exchange their worries and frustrations about us. Called CoL? Cockers on Lamp posts. That's what they are really doing when they sniff. Checking for replies to their posts!

[bizzylizzy]

Perhaps they have their own site(s) to exchange their worries and frustrations about us. Called CoL? Cockers on Lamp posts. That's what they are really doing when they sniff. Checking for replies to their posts!

 

[phoenix]

if training treats are causing messy poops, you're unbalancing the diet. My trainer, as posted on Other Pets has ordered me not to feed meals,and  use the entire allowance as training treats.  Loads of eye contact , rewarded by Yes+treat. First in house,then garden,  then the lane, gthen carparks with safe distractions and other dogs all on leads.  At the moment  we are failing abysmally at carparks.  You're right.  It's hard work.
I'm missing proper walks too, but my neighbour has an empty horse field and I can take him on a long line to run about without threats!

[Londongirl]

Blueberry - reading you last post, I'm wondering, does Blue wait to toilet until his walk? Is there somewhere at home he could go before you go out? Or is it more of a territory marking thing? Just wondering if there is something you can tweak there to make the first walk a bit calmer.

Henry poops shortly after nine every morning like clockwork. If we are already heading out, he'll wait until we get to the park and I get no sense out of him until he has pooped and then run around in mad circles barking his head off (what's THAT about??). I've started taking him out the garden and encouraging him to poop before we go out.