Tonight will be Sally's first day of doggie school.  We have learned the basic commands of sit, down, come(when she thinks I have a treat) but I've tried and tried and tried to teach her to walk nicely with me instead of yanking me around the circle we live on.  For someone who only weights 20lbs, she is VERY strong.  Most the time now, I have my husband take her because after about 1/2 way around, my arms are tired.  Hopefully, this training class will be helpful.  Everyone cross their fingers.  I love my little Sally girl, but it sure would be nice to have a NICE walk with her instead of her dragging me all over the place.  I'd also like to train her to NOT run out the door the minute someone opens it.  Although getting her back is alot easier now that we don't chase her and give her the big Whoopeeee of the day by Daddy chasing her through the neighborhood.  Now I simple go out and watch her race around the swimming pool and shake her jar of treats...and start walking to the front of our house and she races over to me and promptly sits down for the treat.  Then I can nab her...give her the treat and take her inside.

Wish me luck on school tonight!  There will be other doggies there too...and am not sure how she will do.  She seems to not mind smaller dogs, but bigger dogs she really raises a fuss over.

Carrie

Good luck with school Sally

Hope Doggie Classes continue to go well. On the leash tugging, Button was really bad about it when younger. "Heel" was her most difficult command to truly master. What worked with her on walks was reading that some ratties are very "reward/treat" oriented. My obedience trainer didn't let us give treats during class activities. She felt the dogs should learn to respond by command only, as "a treat will not always be handy when the emergency occurs". I started taking very tiny treats in my pockets and keeping some in my hands on all walks. I would give her a treat and "Good Walkies" anytime the leash was slack, she responded to "Leave it" for dead things in the street, automatic sits at intersections, or she was simply walking close to my legs in proper heel position. Pretty quick I realized she was more focused on watching my hands and pockets than lunging forward out ahead of me. I made the treats gradually random and then she shared her attention to the environs with watching my hand to see if this was going to be the "random" treat or not. LOL I'd say her tugging on the leash stopped in about a week or two of this. Zipper was bad about tugging, but has gotten much better simply watching how Button walks beside me, I think, as Zip has never been to obedience classes. Dogs really do learn a lot from just watching their fellow pack members, if given the exposure and opportunities to practice and reinforce the behaviors.

Well...last night was our 2nd night of Doggie school for Sally.  There are 6 dogs in the class plus Sally.  A big poodle, a corgie, a pug, a silkie terrier, a border collie, and a Siberian Husky.   Our instructor is a young lady who is very good with the dogs.  Last night...was to learn drop it.  Hahahahaha...Sally does not drop it for anyone.  Once she has her toy...she has it.  You can't have it...and she is unanimous in that!  She won't drop a toy for a treat either.  But last night...this young lady had her dropping the toy and taking the treat....she then grabbed her toy back...but the funny part was watching her decide if she wanted the treat or the toy.  Next week we're doing loose leash walking!  HA!  Sally doesn't loose leash walk either, but I have a feeling this young lady will show us how!

She's also going to give me some information on local agility training for Sally.  She says she'd be really good at flyball (whatever that is).

Carrie

Tuesday night was Sally's 5th week of Doggie School!  We have learned many things...and clicker training is great.  Sally will do almost everything for a treat!  Not so much if you don't have a treat though.  The hand command for sit she does very well with or without a treat.  The sit/stay....well we are up to a 5 second stay and I'm hoping that will get better as we go on.  The down hand signal she does well...with a treat that is....and the down/stay...well...about 4-5 seconds on that as well.  Drop it...well she does do that if she wants the treat bad enough....she will stop running and look at me to decide if she wants the treat or not...they say...keep plugging away...she'll get it.  The LEAVE it command is kinda funny....you take the pupperoni...hold it under your finger...she tries to get it...if I say LEAVE IT...she stops...looks at me....tips her head...and makes this funny noise.  Then I click, and let go of the treat and she grabs it.  I'm assuming she's getting the idea.

Loose leash walking is a joke.  The gal who does our training will take her and walk and she walks like an angel.  I take her and she's jerking me left and right.  So, now we have the "gentle leader" and Sally does not like this at all....but after our 2nd walk with it...she is 150% better....  She still tries to get the thing off her nose for about the first 5 minutes of the walk and then she gives in and prances along just fine.  I click and treat every so often while we walk so she knows she's doing a good job.  Question for Nora is.....will she ever be able to walk without that gentle leader? 

Our little rescue, Sally, has been a constant joy in our house.  She is much like having a toddler in the house again.....and she just craves my attention.  She rough houses with Daddy...but not me so much.  With me she wants to cuddle.  She has taken a baby blanket from the closet and claimed it as hers and she drags it everywhere.  I have some really cute pictures of her under it with j ust her little face poking out.  She has learned she gets her milk-bone in the evening...but she wants it earlier and earlier and if you give in and let her have it early...she forgets she had it by 8:00 and wants another one.  Kids!