I haven't been posting on this thread regularly due to my workload, but I am catching up, and getting away from the seven-day workweeks.

Tracked three days in a row. Sadie is developing nicely. She is now working with a longer line and much less bait than when we started this season. I had to back off on the turns and make them a little easier, as she was staring to blow the 90deg right-angle turns since we added more line. Another thing I've struggled with, since adding line, is commitment to the track. She has left a track twice in the past few weeks (once during a heavily baited stretch). I moved back up the line, and it helped, but I would like to be able to remve the pressure and have her stay committed.

She has been solid on the articles lately. I removed the bait from the scent pad and beginning of the track, and it reinforced to her that she needed to take in the scent and get off to a good start, and she has improved with that, also.

As far as waiting and the auto-sit... success at the curb, but she still acts stubborn with the gates, doors, and tailgate. I have been much more consistent, but it's not really getting any easier.

Our OB and club training has been good. She has made a lot of progress with the gunfire, obstacles, and working near distraction (other dogs, people). I have also added long-distance downing and position changes, and she is doing well.

However, the layoffs have affected her prey work (i.e. tug game), and we've hit a roadblock with the dumbbell. Her hold work is getting better, but her motivation for the retrieve is waning. I need to find the time to get these corrected, as I don't want to lose the benefit of all the good work we've done in the last year.

Well I have so much water here it is not funny.

All my tracking spots are unusable. The barn yard is very wet even the horses are in the fall/winter paddocks.

So we are doing more ob and nosework.

I did some 2 dogs ob and it was very interesting to see that Dexter can copy Harley. He did some sit and down in motion, normally I have to really stop a moment for him to figure it out.

Harley is going nuts for a good run but it is just not happening so I do a lot of fetch with him.

We are also building our deck, about time, I have to teach Harley that the screen door is a door and going trough it is not an option, unless I open the said door first!

We've had a good week so far when it comes to training. I've actually seen some new things "click," which is always exciting.

We've been working on him not jumping up on his ex-pen and not charging out of it and he's catching on. He still does NOT like being left in it if we leave the room and does better in his crate in those instances.

He's still nippy, but the nips are much more gentle. He is still eager to play tug, though.

I finished the 8weeks to 8mos video and about half of the power of training with markers. We're currently loading the "Yes" marker and phasing out a clicker.

I spoke with the puppy class trainer and am going to give it one more go. She seems tolerant of what we want to do if not enthusiastic. She thinks we'll never get a handle on the nipping if we don't squirt him in the face and that he'll be shy if we don't use strangers as treat dispensers or toss him in with strange dogs to play, but she says she's willing to let us do our own thing in class if we like. If it doesn't go well this week, I'll just pull him.

And he's growing and healthy and a playful 12 week old pup.

Did a heel and in motion session this morning. Harley was pretty good. He did barked a lot in the position change at distance.

He down much faster then he sit out of motion. He had very good focus even going in the water, while I kind of skip. I have a hole in my rubber boot! He did gave me an odd look and some strange steps but he keep the heel well considering I was kind of surprised by my wet foot.

Dexter was showing no interest in any kind of play. So I let him sleep.

Worked on introducing Logan to his new Jafco muzzle (a gift for the people at the vets office). So far so good, he doesn't seem to mind it at all. I only but treats in it and let him eat out of it. After that I waited for him to stick his nose in and then marked it and put treats in through the hole at the end. I never strapped it or anything.

We're reinforcing Sam's positive marker in lieu of a clicker and seeing some good progress (at last!) on bite inhibition, but only in certain contexts. We'll need to work on proofing that in other situations, but I think it's starting to click!

Going to work more on engagement and "look at me," which has slipped a little lately and I'm going to need to start getting going on some kind of leash manners. He's getting BIG!

Couldn't sleep so I was up at 5am and figured I'd take Tanner for a walk. I expected him to be a little rusty but after one quiet about-face he was perfect. He's such a gentleman on leash now.

We also worked on his manners with cats present. My neighbor feeds the stray/feral/"outdoor" cat population and so when we rounded the corner there was a group of about 10 cats. The first good thing is that Tanner didn't try and charge them. Tanner sat when I asked him to and never got into that locked on prey mode. When we walked up and turned left down our sidewalk he was right beside me rather than trying to sneak a grab at the cats who were only about a foot away. So proud of my boy!

We also worked on downs on different surfaces. He tries to hover if he doesn't like how the surface feels against his belly. I need to bake up another batch of treats. He wasn't all that enthusiastic about the treats I had this morning and I had to just cut training short.

Today I did many very short session with Harley.

Work on focused heel and position changes at greater distances.
The heel is nice but in the left turn he was lagging. I used his tug to get him to speed up some. So we turned left and I trow the tug out when he got in place. That got him to move faster but I don't want to over do that as I can see him charge off.

This time I let him eat out of the muzzle a few times and then held it on over his nose and marked it...he did so good I put it one with both straps. I immediately fed him through the hole in the top and marked and took it off while he was calm.

Later I did the same and jogged him down the street with it on. He shook his head a little and I ran faster and he quit then I marked and fed him again. Then he heeled with it on then we ran back to the yard. He is doing great so far with the muzzle.

Today was an off day for Bindi, which kinda confused her. We did take a walk and I was blessed to find a fried chicken leg thrown on the street, YUK! Gave Bindi the leave it and she did great, walked right past it. Good Girl!
Tomorrow is game day, looking forward to it.
Was going to enter Bindi in a rally match tomorrow, but since she is experiencing some over training syndrome, I am not going to take her. I so looked forward to it. that was my plan for summer, matches.
DIdn't train other dogs. Going to get our back patio cleaned off and use it this summer as a training area, it is covered so the sun won't bake down on the dogs or myself.
Well, that is it. have a great weekend everyone!
sharon and her pups, Terra, Bindi, Cody.