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Chevy spent the weekend with me and worked hard on his learning his name and basic manners. I began focused training during the weekend, but noted that Chevy was not cluing into the clicker. I also noted he was starting to look when his name was said, but not consistently.
We worked on Level 1 of Sue Ailsby's Training Levels: Steps to Success and shaping. Chevy never fully engaged in the training game during the entire week. As a matter of fact, Chevy was more disengaged than anything. I tried different foods to find his "doggy crack" and different toys, praise and play and many things to find what motivated him, but I simply wasn't having any success. This is not a failure on Chevy's part, but mine. I simply couldn't find what made Chevy tick.
He did a lot of play with Malcolm and visited at Ronda's house to play with Jack. He enjoyed the games, but I was starting to have something brew in the back of my brain that I would only realize the following week.
I assigned rewarding for all good behaviors, all check ins and the Name Game for the weekend when I sent Chevy home. I noted that he was happy to see his family, but not over the top excited. That too would brew through my mind for a while before it came to the surface.
Spirit and I worked on Go To Mat during her lesson. Spirit has a lot of energy and greets people with her full joy of being alive and we are working on proper door manners. Her owner is doing great at teaching her to sit and wait, but she's having problems with self control.
We got a solid mat behavior started and discussed the use of a Manners Minder for her. I introduced her to one and she happily took to it. Her homework was mat behaviors for the week.
She had class on Saturday and I met her owner at the training facility to help if needed. Spirit was highly distracted and unable to work in the new environment. We worked on focus and relaxation during class and sent her home with her class homework for the week.
Jewels
I didn't directly work with Jewels but instead took Malcolm out to work on mechanics of 1-2-3 Treat, luring into a sit, down and stand and the Come Game.
Minnie met Malcolm for the first time. She was worried about him at first, but after a short time relaxed and asked to join the training game. Her confidence is improving week by week and she's now fully engaged with both her owners.
We reviewed her previous homework and with Malcolm introduced 1-2-3 Treat and worked on the mechanics of the lesson. We then brought Minnie out and worked on 1-2-3 Treat and LAT and discussed any other concerns the family had for her. We ended with arranging to meet the next week at Manito Park for a park walk.
I had Coco, Buddy, Malcolm and Jack all work Riverfront park together. Jack and Coco worked as a team while Ronda, my business partner, monitored how Coco was doing and I worked with Buddy's handler.
Buddy was still barking at strange dogs and pulling hard, so we worked on LAT and focus and got him tuned into his handler. We then worked on walking nice by her chair and worked around the park. Buddy did fantastic.
Yoda and Chevy were not a good match, so I ended up crating Chevy during Yoda's lesson. Yoda worked on long Down/Stay and Sit/Stay. He's more relaxed and more focused now that his owner's hand cues are clearer and he's giving Yoda a chance to relax and settle into the lesson.
Yoda was sent home with homework to work on the Up/Down Game and rewards for all check ins to improve his focus and desire to work with his handler.
