Lesson Tuesday

Tonight was a different kind of lesson for Flash--patience. We spent a good part of the class on the sidelines letting the adorable Havanese puppy, Danny, get some practice in. He hasn't been to the class for awhile and we've benefitted from having private lessons. So tonight we let Danny work alone with his handler much of the time.

Flash had to learn not to dash after Danny's toy or try to herd him. This was as hard on Flash as it was on me, trying to hold him back.

Flash also practiced the stay and down commands and heeling without sniffing the whole yard in the process.

Pond Scum

If you take a deep sniff of Flash's coat, that's what he smells like--pond scum. I bought him an orange float toy like they use with hunting dogs who swim after birds that land in water. Now that Flash knows he can swim, I encourage him to do it as much as possible. It's very hot and it cools him off. So for the last couple of days, I've been taking him down to the pond and throwing his toy in the water. He knows what to do--retrieve the toy and -- what? Take it down the shore and chew it to death? No, no. Bring the toy, Flash. Bring it!

That is why we don't spend too much time at the pond. I get tired of retrieving the toy.

Smart Dog

Tuesday was Flash's lesson with Rachel. He did pretty well; I was the one with issues. I have to practice how I tell Flash to "get ready" or "get around."

We did some training asking Flash to move back. I wasn't sure he got it, but tonight when we practiced the back command, I could see that he knew what I wanted and did it. Huh.

Stand

Flash and I are working on the Stand command since it is the basis for other commands. As long as I have a cookie, Flash will stand up from a sit and come forward. It's not exactly what I want, but I think in a few days he will get it. Then I need to get rid of the cookie.

Flash's Tuesday Lesson

Flash had another lesson Tuesday night. We are getting close to taking the test for Good Citizen and I think we are making progress. He had a lot of distractions last night because Rachel's whippets were loose. He got along pretty well with them, but it's hard to concentrate when whippets are falling all over you.

He's getting the idea of going Down on the run, although he sneaks a few steps to get closer to me...well, to the cookie.

He can walk on a loose leash pretty well if he is focusing, but he usually starts off wanting to sniff everything.

We are still working on Stand, where I lure him from a sit to a stand by holding a cookie in front of his nose. Without a cookie? Well....

Another thing he has to learn is to sit straight and not in a puppy sit. I can't remember the command...Sit Up? or Step Up? Hmmm, I'll have to ask Rachel.