Working on foundational SAR work with Kolt. Focus exercises, beginning OB and agility (tunnels, climbing on stuff) for SAR, puppy runaways. My goal is to keep it fun, short and capitalizing on natural puppy tendencies.

Kenzi is getting back in the swing of SAR work. I was *this* close to scratching her from training since she was obviously stressed and not into it for a few months. Now I think she was shook up from Kipp being sick and then loosing him. I didn't work her for a few weeks then went back to super basic, low stress work for a few weeks. The past two weeks she has worked beautifully - very eager and focused.

Logan doesn't last long in the heat for training it keeps us very limited to short sessions. In general his intolerance to heat is a blessing because it tames the beast!

I've been doing a lot more off lead stuff and working on keeping him calm and non reactive with other dogs. He has gotten better over time esp since he made two new friends (beagle mixes) but they moved. Logan doesn't currently have any dog buddies but I'd like to find him a compatible play buddy.

Its been a lot easier to redirect him from other dogs that are reacting to him.

Mara, reading your post again remnnded me of training my old GSD Thunder for SAR.
I spent a couple of yrs looking for the right dog and he was it.
The runaways were a blast. Matter of fact he was finding me in the woods by the time he was 12-13 weeks old.
The wife would hold him and let him see me head across a small field and head for the woods.
She would give me a 5=10 min start and he had no problem at all in finding me.
At 10 1/2 yrs old he still gets excited to "find" the grand kids in the park with woods near the house.

bump

Front yard working with heeling last night - Duke was happy to work and I got my very first backwards step in heeling from him. He did great with changes in speed and kept right with me at a run and at a slow step. I really need to get a video so I can see exactly how it's going but .. it's the first time either of us have trained heeling (going on 2 years now, at least he no longer jaws on my hand and I no longer have food there.) I should have started backwards step heeling in the kitchen, I know. Better channel there for him to learn to keep his body straight, he did pivot his body out for that one backwards step.

I do keep an e-collar/yard trainer on him for the front yard, but last night was the first time I did not also have a dropped leash on, he's content to stick with where I am despite squirrels etc.

Discovered last week that the best way to motivate Chance is to squeak the heck out of his squeaky toy and RUN with it! and he will keep right with you to get that toy the second it leaves your hand! (working with long line) My timing is still not right with him and I confuse him when I try to work on marking the retrieve (attempting to back chain ) but I was able to work on a jump up from sitting last night. That was fun. A-frame is now a breeze and NBD

One of my goals for the summer is to have Pink pee and poop on the leash, on command. I'm sure that sounds like a goal for a pup, but for a country dog who is 98% free, off lead! it will be a little challenge.

Marker train anything involving the leash. A sniff, putting it on, dragging it around, etc, etc.

When you see Pink lift a leg or squat for a dump make that worthy of reward, then put a word to it.
After that take Pink for walks on lead during normal pee/poop time.
If you know any given spot that Pink "performs" use that to mark and reward then work it into a routine with a command.