Sunny Wester March Dayschool

3/19 First Day!

We worked on no jumping today! Sunny did very well and although she was very excited, progressed with being able to keep all four paws on the floor! She’s such a sweet, happy-go-lucky gal!  Remy  Remy

Ozzie Holmsen 3/18-3/26/19

3/19: Adventure Walk with Jennie

Ozzie and I went for an adventure today! We hiked in the wooded area near the building. I was hoping the elements of the woods would present some opportunities for confidence building…and I was right! He was so brave. We went all over the place and even saw two deer! No photos of the deer, but here are several variations of his butt in nature. Look at all the different textures, heights, and obstacles he conquered! So proud!

3/18 Go Sniff // Building Engagement // Using Reinforcers

In looking back on Ozzie’s past training, he really likes o sniff and explore and that activity has been a very valued for him during his stay.  I used this in our session today to begin to build up some engagement in the training room with Ozzie.  We would walk over to the training room, I would reward him for an offered behavior (like looking at me) or ask him to do something easy (like a sit or nose touch to my hand) and then I would say “Yes!” in a happy voice and we would run outside to a grassy area to sniff.  Ozzie was not too sure what we were going at first, but he caught on to the pattern quickly and I was eventually able to ask him for multiple cues in the training room, with him taking treats each time, before we would go outside. Letting him go sniff and have that break from the pressure of engaging with a new unfamiliar person is a great way to give him some choice and build up his confidence (PS. Your boy is FAST!!! I gotta get in better shape!) –Jenny

3/19: Using Reinforcers “Go Sniff”, Adventure walk! (No Video)

Ozzie went on another sniffy adventure walk with me. I started using “Yes/Go sniff” after asking for simple cues like “sit”. We also worked on some leash tension, so when Ozzie’s leash went tight, I stopped walking and waited for him to acknowledge me and relax the leash before continuing the walk. – Kee

3/19 Confidence Walk

We walked around the complex on a long lead, allowing Ozzie freedom of movement. He was very brave throughout our walk, and also responded more consistently than in previous sessions.  Remy

 

Computer Trouble 3/16 (Mabel, Leon, Rizzo, Toby, Ruca, Murphy)

Hello Puppy Parents!

Leon Pericak, Mabel Grove, Toby Benucci, Ruca Salvadore, Rizzo Calamari, and Murphy Schnuelle.

Due to some computer trouble, videos from Saturday 3/16 will be delayed in uploading to Dropbox.  We will get them uploaded as soon as the computer malfunction can be remedied or another solution can be found to get your videos to you.  Thank you in advance for your patience as we figure this technology issue out! 🙂

The pups all had a great day today – beautiful weather, lots of play time, and great training all around!

Cheers,

Jenny

Murphy Schnuelle 3/16 – 4/15

3/16 Get to Know // Choose to Heel // Harness // Focus Foundations // Reorienting

Murphy and I got to know each other more in this session with some focus work practice and precursor leash skill work.  I began by rewarding him for offering good focused behavior like making eye contact, turning to face me, sitting attentively, etc.  We expanded on that exercise where I would move around the room to different spots and he had to move more and make an effort to get back to me.  This leads into our “choose to heel” exercise where I tighten my criteria to wanting Murphy at heel and following me through the room, off leash, but in the heel position.  He excelled at all of these behaviors!  We’ll continue to practice to ensure we have a strong foundation but we are on the way to some better leash skills! –Jenny

3/16 Leash Tension Release // Loose Leash Walking

Murphy worked on some impulse control related to leash skills in this session where we worked on reinforcing releasing tension on his leash when pulling towards a desired item – a piece of string cheese on the floor.  HE ROCKED IT!! AWESOME!! –Jenny

3/17

In our first training session we worked on leash skills. He did fantastic! It did not take him long to start walking beside me on a leash. I feel that moving it outside in the next step. – Joe

3/17

In our next session we worked on impulse control. He did great! We did move up to leave it. He will need a bit more work on this but overall he did great. – Joe

3/18: No Jump with Jennie

Murphy and I played No Jump! He was too good; I couldn’t trick him with a toy, a treat, or even the sheer force of my personality. He has graduated stage 1 and we will now work on this cue in his room or with people. So proud of him! GOOD BOY, MURPHY!!!

3/18: Loose Leash Walking // Outside // L-shaped pattern // Weaving Through Cones

Murphy and I worked on leash skills outside in this session and walking through cones in different patterns.  I used some of his dinner kibble as his reward at first, rewarding him frequently as he continued to walk in a heel position, but we quickly moved on to performing a whole sequence of walking around the cones without kibble until the end of the sequence.  I even added a hotdog leave-it distraction and Murphy excelled.  We’ll continue to work on leash around more distractions, but Murphy ROCKED this session!! –Jenny

3/19: Leash manners with distractions/ Leave-It

Murphy did a great job today through our session; we had a few moments of tense leash, but no hard pulls, and he quickly reoriented back to me with his name. We had food distractions, reviewed some “leave it” to refresh him on that and while he did try to eat some of my items, at one point even dropped the biscuit he had managed to get a taste of! Very good, Murphy! Kee

3/19 Impulse Control

We practiced impulse control via a game called, “Zen Bowl”. Murphy did a stellar job. Such a smart, good looking fella!  Remy

Rizzo Calamari 3/15 – 3/17

3/15 Long Lead Walk // Basics

Rizzo did great with this. We practiced focus and basics skills (i.e. come, stay, look, etc). He did well, even working outside near a running car. Great job!  Remy

3/15 Leash skills / no pulling

Rizzo does like to pull us into the room so i decided to work on some leash skills.  However, as soon as Rizzo realized we were in a training session – He did awesome!  Such a smart boy!  We also worked specifically on not pulling toward what you want – in order to get what you want.  We ended the session by using these skills outside – where Rizzo continued to do well – Cat

3/16 Cookie Jar Behavior // Chaining Behaviors // Delayed Reinforcement

Rizzo sometimes does not immediately complete a cued behavior when asked if he does not see a treat – usually in more distracting environments.  In this session, we played “Cookie Jar” agility/behaviors where I would ask Rizzo for a behavior with out any treats on me and we would go back to a designated treats spot for the goodies once the behaviors were complete.  He did a great job with this in the training room, but off camera practicing it in the lobby and at doorways it was trickier – worth repeating and continuing to practice as he is very advanced  in his behaviors already and it a great way to test how reliant his obedience truly is.  We’ll keep practicing! –Jenny

3/16 Polite Greetings // CGC Style // Say Hi // Wave // Outside

Rizzo worked on some polite greetings outside in several different ways in this session.  He was a champ with all of them and working outside close to the training room door was probably the hardest part. –Jenny

Mabel Grove, March 15 -18, 2019

3/15 backup

we worked on out backup skills outside in the great weather.  Mabel was practicing backing up to a target. Mabel did great with this!  she doesn’t have it on cue as of yet. Cat

3/15 Write Up on it’s way!

3/16 Teeter

Mabel and I continued to work on her teeter int his session.  She did a really nice job overall and we practiced having the high end of the teeter hit the ground with Mabel using her front paws to push it down.  She was not super comfortable completely standing on the teeter and moving it yet, but did great manipulating the board when she could keep her back paws on the ground – progress! –Jenny

3/16 Teeter Round 2 // Lovin and Explorin

I though Mabel and I would revisit the teeter again in this session since she did so well but Mabel had other plans.  We switched to snuggles and exploring.  🙂 –Jenny

3/17

In our first session today we worked on a trick called “under the bridge” This is where Mabel goes under your leg as the knee is bent and makes a “bridge”. As is the norm with Mabel she picked it up right away. – Joe

3/17

In our second session we did new trick named “two paws” I think that’s the final name for it. I did have a few names we were trying. If you put your hand like a “hi five” and say two paws she will put two paws on your hand. She did very well with this and even remembered the “under the bridge” trick from this morning, such a smart girl. – Joe

Elle Arout , March 2019 Dayschool

3/15 Buddy Walk with Ginger

Elle went on a buddy walk with Ginger and did really well. She mostly focused on me and when she did look at Ginger it was waggly/friendly and she quickly redirected to me.  We also worked on not jumping for attention – Great job Elle – Cat

3/15 Get To Know

Elle did amazing! She was very comfortable and friendly, right off the bat. She was responsive throughout the session, but a bit jumpy, too. We practiced no jumping and basic skills. Well done.  Remy

Samurai (Sam) Dauphinais March Day School

3/14

Worked on stir the pot a bit today with Sam. It is a way to get him to come to a heel. He did great. We also worked on drop it and a bit of impulse control with fetch. As always we had a good time. – Joe

3/14 Buddy Walk

Sam and I went on a buddy walk today with Carson and Leon and he did great! He and Leon met a few times but overall he stayed focused on me and wasn’t too excited. They played really nicely in the room after too! -Amanda

Mia Bytheway March Dayschool 2019

3/14

Worked with another dog and other today. We placed a few walls up between them and Mia did very well. I was able to get her to come back to me after seeing the other dog. She will need a bit more practice but she is improving. – Joe

3/14 dog focus

Mia and I worked on dog focus as the other dogs were being pottied today. In total we saw four dogs and she did progressively better as our session went on. We worked on her being relaxed and focusing on me for sniffing treats in the grass. -Amanda

Ruca Salvadore 3/13 – 3/19

3/14

Worked on leash manners today. She did great. She will need a bit of practice, but today we worked on having her walk with me as she was getting treats. I did explain in the video the steps for leash manners we worked on today. She will need to practice these skills outside as well. – Joe

3/16 Leave Its

Ruca worked on leave-its in this session and did a GREAT JOB!! She was really good with her leave-its on leash but could use more practice with her off-leash or with more distracting/desirable items as the leave-it item.  Way to go Ruca! –Jenny

3/17

Worked on no jump and polite greeting today with Ruca, she did great. She did jump a few times, but near the end she was greeting me without jumping. She will need lots of practice with this, but she did very well. – Joe

3/18 Leash Manners and Focus Around Other Dogs

Ruca worked on her leash manners and focus around a whole group of other dogs (students in our Puppy Confidence and Agility class) in a session outside today.  We had to practice or focus more so than our actual leash walking in this session, but Ruca never really pulled on leash – more just stopping to stare at all the cool puppies around us.  She did a great job refocusing and we did get some nice moments of attentive walking, but definitely could use more practice at this level (working at a distance away around focused/neutral dogs) before we work on something harder.  Awesome job Ruca! –Jenny

3/19 Leave-it / anti-countersurfing.

Worked with Ruca today on leave-it and being polite when there are things around the counter, also started a few repetitions for teaching her “Off”. Ruca did very well and focused on me beautifully through the session, not really jumping until I encouraged her to do so.

For counter-surfing, a lot of it will be management on your part; scavenging and foraging are natural doggy behaviors, so when Ruca is not supervised, you can block her out of the kitchen using a baby gate, crate or door and you might want to put some prevention in place so that she’s not able to practice taking items which may appear like toys, or tasty food, down from counters and tables by putting them out of reach or using airtight bins to store goodies. Good job, Ruca!