Author Topic: Things are looking up!!  (Read 1250 times)

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Offline Ben's mum

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Things are looking up!!
« on: July 12, 2009, 11:32:19 AM »
Picture the scene: you are eating a picnic by a river bank having a peaceful afternoon.  Out of the blue hurtling towards you is a black cocker who leaps on the picnic blanket and swipes a sandwhich  :o you reach out in horror to push him away, but it gets worse....... after you've tried to push him away from the rest of the sandwiches you realise your hands are now covered with cow poo and there is still a manic cocker dancing all over your picnic spattering poo and dirty river water over everything......... ph34r   

So not for the first time I found myself trying to placate a very angry family who just wanted a nice quiet picnic in the country, worse still they didn't even like dogs  :-\

Time to call Topbarks I think  ;)

Last week I took my bad boy Ben to see Mark to have him made into an  :angel:   :005: its back to basics to get a good recall and the long line is on for the foreseable future!  The last couple of days though have been brilliant and really encouraging. Ben is already starting to look at us to see what goodies we have got and is not as distracted looking for trouble.  We managed to walk past three picnic tables yesterday which usually would have him scrabbling around underneath to see if there was anything on the floor, but he was focused on us which was such a change. 
Its early days and I think we will avoid places in the day where we know people are eating for a little while  ;)

As for getting some control getting out of the car, I think I've bought the wrong dog home and manged to smuggle out the lovely and very well behaved Bayley instead ;) and left my bad lad with Mark  :005:
Such a difference almost overnight, he jumps out of the car sits and waits for a treat as if he has been doing that for ever, whereas before once we opened the car and he would be hurtling off over the fields before we had time to get a lead on.

I feel really optimistic that we will get a good recall as Ben is loving the food and the attention he gets when he comes back to us.  Another bonus is that we got to meet the stunning Topbarks boys  ;) and got to see the 'Bayley handstand' in real life  :luv:  Thaks for the help Mark, off to do some practising now  :lol2:

Bens mum






Offline mcphee

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2009, 12:02:33 PM »
Why are the naughty one's black? Well done Ben's mum and Ben. We were on the long line this morning. One sulking black cocker, but no bunnies and a short walk with lots of"why are you being so cruel" looks. I never had the picnic napping. Rufus's penchant was clothing, like the kids goal keeping gloves and tracksuits on the green, and underwear on the beach.

Offline louis mum

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2009, 12:11:31 PM »
 :luv: Well done Ben and his mum  :luv: Its a great feeling when they do respond to you isnt it  :D Alfie has been on a long line intermittently for what feels like forever, but recently he really is focussed on me and I am chuffed  :angel:

Your picnic description made me laugh out loud though  :lol2: I would pay to see that  :005:

Offline mum2milly

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2009, 02:42:49 PM »
Oh sorry! cant help but laugh  :005: I love the picnic story, as louismum said - I would pay to see that!
And I can just imagine Rufus "doing a runner" with someones pants on the beach!  :rofl1:
I admit I've got a warped sense of humour, but boy oh boy -all these tales of cheeky black cockers, someone should write a book - or film! Could be a whole new take on Marley & me!!
Milly can be just a devious, do you think its a genetic thing??  :shades: :005:

Congrats to Ben on his recent hard work with his mum!  :luv:

Love Jo & (another norty black cocker) Milly xx

Offline Top Barks

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2009, 04:18:59 PM »
I thought Ben was a star with lots of potential. :luv:
Really enjoyed working with you guys.
Mark

Mark Sanderson BSc Hons (canine behaviour), FdSc CBT, CAP 1, CAP 2
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Check out my website http://www.topbarks.co.uk/  www.yorkdogtrainer.co.uk

Offline Steelygirl

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2009, 06:26:38 PM »
Aw thats lovely to hear!!  :luv:



Offline cdpops

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2009, 06:58:32 PM »
 Bens mum you have just described my biggest fear, not yet fullfilled. Charlies worst was eating bread out of a kids hand that he was throwing for the ducks. Glad to hear things are going well after your 1 to 1. I wish there was a Mark in Southport.

Offline Top Barks

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2009, 07:16:28 PM »
Hey, Julie and Ben came from Derbyshire, Sue and Chloe arrive from Skye tonight.
Southport ain't that far :lol2: :lol2:

Mark Sanderson BSc Hons (canine behaviour), FdSc CBT, CAP 1, CAP 2
Member of The Association Of Pet Dog Trainers (00977)
 
Check out my website http://www.topbarks.co.uk/  www.yorkdogtrainer.co.uk

Offline joanne_v

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2009, 07:27:57 PM »
Great to hear things are on the up. If its any consolation I think that an awful lot of dogs would be the naughty dog in that scenario. I have 2 who would recall and 2 who wouldnt in that situation!

The getting dog out the car calmly tips: can you share them please?!

Mum to cockers Lily, Lance and Krumble and lurchers Arwen and Lyra. Hooman sister to Pepper, 13.

Offline Top Barks

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2009, 07:45:56 PM »
Great to hear things are on the up. If its any consolation I think that an awful lot of dogs would be the naughty dog in that scenario. I have 2 who would recall and 2 who wouldnt in that situation!

The getting dog out the car calmly tips: can you share them please?!

Have a look here Jo,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDDlqNtcCu4&feature=channel_page

Basically clicking for attention when they get out of the van and targetting me.
 If I don't get rewardable eye contact within 10 seconds then they go back in until I get what i want.

Mark Sanderson BSc Hons (canine behaviour), FdSc CBT, CAP 1, CAP 2
Member of The Association Of Pet Dog Trainers (00977)
 
Check out my website http://www.topbarks.co.uk/  www.yorkdogtrainer.co.uk

Offline Ben's mum

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2009, 08:53:56 PM »

The getting dog out the car calmly tips: can you share them please?!

It really does work - this evening we arrived at the walk, opened the door and the little  :angel: jumped out, turned round and sat down while I clicked and gave him a treat.  If you had seen him last week he was a whirlwind when we arrived anywhere (as Mark will confirm  ;)) and I sometimes ended up wrestling him out of the car, much to the amusment of any onlookers  :005:

Offline joanne_v

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Re: Things are looking up!!
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2009, 09:01:36 PM »
Christ, I think I'd die of shock if I could Lily to that stage! Will work on it though. I've always just tried waiting in the van until she shuts up with the 'i'm being tortured' screaming but even after 15 mins it doesnt stop so I usually just open the door asap and let her take off  ph34r She only does it en route to walks, never to and from daycare or the stops in between or anywhere else at all.

Mum to cockers Lily, Lance and Krumble and lurchers Arwen and Lyra. Hooman sister to Pepper, 13.