Public Dog (23) & Pictures

Class today was particularly good, though I admit I had some serious doubts to begin with.  To start Gimme had no focus, but then when we started working she got into it and did well.  She hates to be bored and loves a good challenge.  The challenge that caught her attention was LLW from the asphalt of an open tennis court onto the grass, without going into sniffing mode.  We've worked on cement or asphalt pads a lot lately, so some of the dogs have decided that they work there and are off duty on grass. 

The thing that worked was a change that Ursula suggested.  When I walk forward and Gimme forges or sniffs, I stop and start backing up.  Ursula suggested I turn and walk the other way to make it clearer.  I don't know that it made it clearer, so much as it was just different.  We've done the backing up technique a lot and its always worked, but sometimes Gimme just isn't inclined to focus.  This basically puts the responsibility on her to pay attention, because I walk further and faster.

Its like a cross between my oppositional walking (going the opposite direction that the dog is pulling, but while still facing in the original direction) and the Koehler method.  The way it differs from Koehler is that he recommending turning and running, so the dog got a substantial correction.  This is just calmly walking.  Anyway it worked.  I won't abandon what I've been doing, but will certainly keep this in mind for when it doesn't work.  Sometimes it helps to change things up.

Then we moved into the fenced in tennis court.  I went the long way around to close the gate at the other end and glad I did, since Gimme pooped on the way.  Which probably explains her earlier distraction.  Once inside we practiced our cued turns to warm up. 

Then we did a solo exercise.  We all stood at one end and then one at a time, walked our dog on a loose leash (butler style) to a spot on the side of the court (about 25 feet from where the teams were waiting), cued the dog to sit, c/t, took off our treats and left them there, then walked a large p-shaped pattern, returned to where the treat bag was left, cued a down, c/t, then walked back to our place in the line-up.  The second time we did it without a leash.  The layout looked like this...

The first time Gimme did it flawlessly.  The second time, she started to stray toward the poodle as we were returning to our place in line, but returned to me when I called her by name and finished without a hitch.  So all in all it was a good class and confidence building.  Gimme is improving a lot in these classes. 

BTW Ursula told me my task in subsequent classes is to maintain the same pace and not adjust to Gimme.  If Gimme gets going too fast, I'm supposed to slow down or stop.  I wasn't aware that I'd been doing that, but don't doubt it.  That's a real common tendency.

Later we got a call from Mary and met her and Grafton out on the fort's training area for a nice long walk.  Gimme and Grafton thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. 

Here is a couple of cute pictures from our weekend at the hotel.

This would be Gimme hinting that its time for another walk (mere minutes after returning from the last one).

This is Gimme disgusted beyond words that I can't take a simple hint.  Seriously!

This is her lounging across the foot of the bed after we did a short training session.  Finally some attention paid to her.

Yah, right...