This morning we got off to a early start considering at 8 am it was 80 degrees! Yikes! COdy- worked on pivots, he does very well and has gotten it! We also practiced heel, touch, spin and some other fun things! I am training him for treball (not sure of spelling). He now will go to the ball and touch it when I say "go touch"! It punches it all around the room.
Bindi- went for walk at park. grass was wet so it helped cool her. We practiced recalls and engagement. came home practiced pivots. Plan on finding out when pet smart training schedule is so I can take her to the store and walk her around the other dogs. There is also a bark for the cure this weekend at a park new us, I am going to take her down there, if it is not too hot, and just let her get used to the distractions and confusion of many dogs and people. (If there are people who do no take their dogs off leash. You are supposed to at that park.)
Terra- will train her in the house tomorrow. tomorrow is the day my husband ride bikes early in the morning. by the time we get back it will be pretty hot. Plan on- leash pressure, and "mark" with movement with rear legs. Basic reminders of Mat, sit, wait, etc.
That is it. Hope all of you aren't melting out there! Sharon

Repeated three tracks from Patterson's beginner phase. Working on my handling and Sadie's concentration.
Still tapdancing around the ants, but as long as I can keep them to a minimum, she's a real champ at shaking them and moving on.
Articles are becoming a distraction on the track. I need to remember Patterson's tips for keeping her focused under distraction.

Playing with faster position change. I give the reward faster and some what bigger.

It works but... Harley get a bit ahead and anticipate the next move. I have incorporate some heel in it and some distance and send out to have more stuff. But he still try to find the next move.

It seem that holding my hand behind my back help a bit so I don't get the full set of position and tricks in a half second

Tonight my husband helped me work distractions with each of my dogs. Bindi did well. There was one weird sound my husband made that sent her acting very silly running around and jumping on my husband. After a little while, she learned there was only one way to get a treat, look at me and keep her attention on me. She did very well.
Cody- did outstanding. I thought he would have a hard time since he is so intense and active. He did really well, sailed right through.
Terra- did outstanding except that she barks continually as she does something. I turned my back on her and it worked for a while. Then it didn't and she barked continually as she was looking at me. Her bark is loud and intense. Even feeding her the treats didn't stop her, she just swallowed them and barked. Finally, as a message to her, we stopped the training and put her with the other dogs. She wasn't happy.
She does that any time she trains, or is asked to do anything. Bark, bark, bark.
Overall they did very well. We will do it a couple of more times, then ask a friend to come and distract them and see how they do. Eventually we will move it outside, and then out at a shopping mall or somewhere.
Took Bindi out this morning and worked on engagement at the park. she did well. wasn't that interested in the grass anymore. THen we ran around and just had fun, we heeled and did turns on the asphalt. Came home and practiced her pivots on the "mark". She did well but them began to move her front feet. Tomorrow we will do it again.
Got the treadmill ready for the dogs so they can work out a little, and I have to train Terra to go on it.
So, overall a great day.
Sounds like Harley is very smart! Its hard to keep one or two steps ahead of these smart pups. My bindi anticipates what she thinks I am going to do. So, I have to be very careful to mix things up a bit.
Have a great week. Sharon

Club night. Visited by a Giant Schnauzer that had supposedly been protection trained, and was referred to our TD for finishing. She had no idea what the sleeve or whip were. It was very disappointing to see a good dog and good money gone to waste. Now the poor chap is going to have to spend more money to get this dog trained, but she will be trained this time.

Worked with Sadie on desensitizing, long down under distraction, OB pattern off-leash with sit-out-of-motion, and obstacles. Sadie's not retrieving over the obstacles yet, but she will take them on command in food drive, with almost no refusals; she seems to like doing them.

More helper training for me. Observed as a huge green Rotty was reinforced in the bark-and-hold. Caught two dogs; one APBT that I'm very familiar with, and a GSD beast. The beast took me down when he engaged me in flight. Got my first real-time lesson in keeping the sleeve alive while I fight to get back on my feet. After that, I caught the pit bull, watched another helper work a dog, then came home and took a few Ibuprofen. The eyeglasses have been repaired, dogs are awesome, and life is good.

Harley was wired last night so I put that energy to use, nosework!

I goofed on the second hide, I placed the traget too high. I wanted a sit with nose up pointing at the traget but got a down with nose pointing down to the traget from a 8' tall shaving bag stack.

Then I had him search the tractor, the tackroom and the barn yard. After that a 30min fetch just to make sure that he would sleep.

Tracking this morning on three tracks. Opened up a little more on the third track. Very little problem with ants. Sadie concentrated extremely well and aced all tracks.She didn't want to take a break in between tracks. Handling was better, also.

As her concentration and overall tracking improve, she gets less interested in the articles. Hopefully repetition will work that out.

First time on club tracking field in two months. Ants were minimal. Three tracks.
I didn't read the wind correctly when I laid my tracks, and it freshened to a good cross-wind. Sadie was a bit off to the side, but up to the challenge. Thank goodness the last leg was downwind, and she finished on a strong note.

Took Terra out this morning for a walk, she was so happy! Today is game day so we will be playing games this morning. I have to look through my book of games and choose one. I think today we will play some games with the crate and mat. Running between the two and waiting for the command to be released. Also, holding them back by their collar to build speed. Going to practice the pivot, today a friend is coming over so we can do distraction work. It should be a real challenge because they love this person. So, I am hoping it will go well. Terra did hers already and did very well, she was fixed on me.
Well, that is it today. Games and baths are the order for the day.

I am wondering what others are training their dogs in. There are a few I haven't seen post on her for a long while. Let me know what you are doing, I learn so much from you all.
Sharon

had a great session with henry on the top of blackcomb mountain yesterday .

after riding three chairlifts to get to the top , we did a session of him entering darkened metal culverts . this is the beginnings of entering snow caves where the live hides will be . he showed no hesitation and was willingly going in and out after food treats .

we then did a session , again luring with food , up onto and all over a snowmobile which obviously will be a big part of his life .

after that we did a short climb up onto a nearby summit clambering over and around large boulders which really increases his strength , agility and confidence .

he saw horses yesterday and a bear this morning . i think he displayed just the right amount of trepidation and was readily accepting food in their presence .