Thanks so much, everyone!
You've given me several things I haven't tried which is a very good thing...LOL
MollysMum, one of the main reasons we are taking her to class is to learn how to teach her since she doesn't like treats...LOL...ironic, huh? The primary thing I want her to learn is "stay" because (selfishly, I guess) because I want to get some cute photos of her and for her own safety.
She also drives us crazy (!) with her mind games when we play. She wants us to play fetch and she's really great to fetch but she doesn't want to give it back after she fetches it so that we can continue to play. It is cute though...she will drop the toy but then step on it to hold it there or lay on it and then look up at us. The funniest though is that when I tell her I can't reach it, she'll move it about an inch closer to me. And then another inch when I protest...well, you get the picture...LOL (If it's a ball, she just nudges it towards me.) I am rather awed by her intelligence but I need to learn how to use it effectively.
Aside from the fun and vain reasons though, she needs to learn "come" because she got away from me once last week. She just did one of her jerk lunges and I didn't have the leash secure on my hand. Scared me to death but luckily there was no traffic on the cul de sac at the time! There is no way I can chase greased lightning so I just tried to keep an eye on where she went, etc. Everything is such an adventure for her! I watched her get 2 houses down and then stop and look back at me. I think at that time I said, "Taffy, get back here now." Anyway, she darted past me and ran into the house (I had taken time to throw open the front door and yell for my husband but of course, he didn't hear me).
It scared me so badly that I'm just now able to talk about it but I still remember the panic. This could have been my worst nightmare.
As I told my husband last night, I don't want the class to break her spirit, but I do want her to learn enough to be careful. I know she knows what she's doing...she just has a really stubborn will. You can see the intelligence and understanding in her eyes when I tell her something and the little toot can even understand certain words that we've had to start spelling...LOL (I know...everyone thinks we're imaging that but we throw the word...or its spelling into a sentence totally out of context and get the same response!)
None of the numerous books we've read to help in training her work since they all are based on treats. Even the guy last night told us he doesn't know how we'll teach her since she doesn't like them unless we use the old way of punishment. I can tell you right now that there is no way that will happen! It is the only real thing that man and I agreed on last night.
I wish you guys could have seen her looking at us last night after we got her home. It was the funniest thing in the context of the evening. I think we insulted her by taking her to school...LOL (However, she really did enjoy playing with the spaniel. She impressed the guy again during the free play because she laid down in a submissive way when she met the spaniel...textbook style. By this time though I was wishing she would hold her ground...LOL However, the trainer said something like "Wow, you'll never have to worry about being sued.")
I know this is long again but I can't seem to talk about her in words. She is deserving of paragraphs...LOL
I'm eager to see how she behaves with us today. I think we really "insulted" her last night by treating her like a dog! Seriously... |