Awesome day - and boy are we all tired!
 

Took all the pups for training today at Ilona's. What spectacular weather we had. So warm and sunny

We did Calavetti training - and boy am I out of shape! Not to mention our two blackies - but Razzle had energy to spare!

Razzle is practising his Canine Good Neighbour skills and we were pretty successful in the sit - stay - paws on ground for receiving some pets.

We were awful on heel....:( No focus - at all. Good on Stay. Down is still a foreign concept :)

Zoey's stay is shall we say iffy. Heel is a tad better than Razzle's.

Magic was a good boy - flew through his CD skills, and we worked the utility - signalling only for heel - walk away stay - signal distance down and signal distance sit. Good boy - got those with two gold stars.
Retreive the dumbbell - well what can I say - he loves to chew. So now I need to wrap ends of dumbbell in some aluminum foil so that he won't like to chew the ends:p No jumping as we protect his back. Worked heel backward - and for treats we did some pull on rope - he adores pulling mommy around the grass.

Learnt a new "game" - hopefully safe for Magic's back - we made a human triangle and then we threw the toy to each other - he of course chased toy then we caught toy and gave to him so that he did not do so much a crazy run - with a slamming stop to pick up toy from ground.

So Razzle homework is - - focus - - focccuuusssss - Youhooooo Razzle - foccccusssss. Heel one step etc etc etc.
Take him out to busier places - translates to Gail get your butt out of house and off quiet streets to busy spots - and you guessed it - Work FOCUS.

Zoey is soft heeling

Magic's is more exercise to strengthen back. Keep him safe while working with him. He is so driven and focussed he will work through any amount of pain. His back is very weak - I can't wait until we can go swimming outdoors again.

Sounds like a very big day, working with all 3! LOL, Razzle had energy to spare. Of course, he is a Yorkie. :)

What is Calavetti training?

It always is so uplifting for me to read about your training escapades. I can feel the love, devotion, and excitement in every word that you write, and I love reading about them. I believe in you and your "kids," and I also can't wait until it's warm enough for you to start swimming with them again.

Oops I think I got it wrong Cavaletti - anyhow it comes out of horse training. You use a series of small bars - place on the ground - and then you trot your dog through them. It builds up their muscles - and once they can do at a conservative spacing, you begin to expand the spacing, this teaches them reach and drive. And of course builds up those muscles.

Another way to use - is to space them irregularly, and they need to look and pick out their route. It is stimulating for their brain, and teaches balance and surer footfalls.

Ideally you practise every other day - at least six times through about a dozen spaced bars.

I need a smaller diameter for Razzle as he has to jump over to clear the bar height lol. Anyhow it was good for him too, as he did a series of a dozen small jumps.

Thanks Lisa. It's good to be back out training again. I need the discipline of regular lessons!. so weather permitting we go Sunday again;)

Oh it sounds like you had such fun! Esp 'pulling Mommie around the grass'...LMBO! The weather here has been beautiful too.... spring fever is setting in...

"Razzle is practising his Canine Good Neighbour skills and we were pretty successful in the sit - stay - paws on ground for receiving some pets.

We were awful on heel.... No focus - at all. Good on Stay. Down is still a foreign concept "


I need to get Razz to help Sadie with the whole concept of staying in a sit for petting and I'll bet she could help him with heel and down!!!!

Good job Gail - I love hearing about your training!

Thanks Karen you should be proud of yourself as heel is hardest to learn!. She will get that sit/stay business - keep on going to your local pet store - or other places and practise. I would give Razzle a treat after a successful sit/stay/pet and that worked a charm.

Awesome Day 2 - Sunday's training
 

Another gorgeous day:) I think it was about 70degrees out.

Razzle the scamp - did well over cavelletti, We actually walked 2 steps in a heel position ... sit stay was good. Down continues to be troublesome. Going to start getting him to Down for his supper. He also learnt down then up to sit, smart boy got it the second time through!.

Magic was very good on CD skills and his heeling off lead - we did a whole long row of figure eights too. Heel backward stills needs a bit of straightening out work. Drop on command needs work, as I've not practised that in a very long time. Then the challenge came, to get him to stay in a down when I was working with another dog. Every time I released Razzle, he released too. lol

Homework more of the same as last Wednesday.

A gorgeous day as had by all, and the pups are resting now at home.