The Boys, as they have come to be known here at the farm, are both getting ready to wrap up their time here in a few days. They have come a long way and they still have some work to do but much of what they are still toiling with falls to maturity and not to skill. They know their words. In the right conditions they are quite reliable. Where they need to mature is in their ability to listen when something startles them or is very distracting. Frasier has actually become more reliable that Niles which shows more how hard Frasier has worked than any short comings for Niles, as he has also beed very steady this whole time. I still use a long line (30' leash) for Frasier on long walks because I can't trust that if a hunter shoots a rifle or a branch falls in the woods he won't skirt a little bit and in an unfamiliar setting I don't want him getting into his head and panicking. The leash makes him visibly calmer because he is attached to a person. 
Niles doesn't need the leash to reassure him as much as Frasier does. He is, however, more insecure without his brother and so I keel a slip leash with me when I walk him solo, just in case. 
These boys are gigantic and so it is so easy to forget they are just babies still. Their training needs clean up, which is what I will be working on until they go home, then they just need it to be their way of life as much as possible. Not allowing them to "run and hide" when asked to do something they don't want to do is critical because if that behavior is allowed to pass then it will continue into their adulthood and it will definitely be annoying at a crucial point. High expectations will be the best things these puppies can receive from their owners.
Luckily motivating them with praise is always easy as they can never get enough of being touched. Sweet babies indeed.

The boys are doing great. They are in the proofing stages now and just need practice and experience to get more reliable. Niles is still more reliable than Frasier but Frasier is catching up. Both boys are slightly anxious and likely to spook if they get in their heads about a mistake so they take a lot of building up and affirmation. But I am pretty confident when they are back home in their own comfort zone they won’t be so flighty.
Niles is a big baby about the cold and keeping him working when it’s in the 30’s has been a challenge. He is a dog who likes his comfort. Frasier isn’t nearly so bothered by it. They are so similar but still so different!

Keeping it short tonight because the wind keeps knocking out the internet!
The boys have adjusted well to their remote collars. Niles is ready for off leash and Frasier with be shortly behind him once I am very confident he is over his tendency to throw temper tantrums or spook and run. He is so close!
i don’t know what got into them today but they both destroyed their beds over the last two days so they are grounded from bedding for now. Scamps.

The boys are doing great. Their on-leash reliability is at a point now where I want to start long-line work and getting them onto their remote collars and off-leash. Niles will likely be ready for off-leash before Frasier but Frasier will catch up fast. He is just more nervous and likely to try to bolt back to his kennel when he gets it wrong. He gets into his head so much sometimes and it’s his handler’s job to build him up.

Today we did their on-leash obedience with more distractions than normal and they did pretty well! It will be interesting to see how they handle a big change to their corrections. But so far they have risen to all the challenges I’ve given them. What good boys!

The boys are hitting their stride now. They are decently responsive to commands. Their tantrums are getting fewer and farther between and they are enjoying obedience more and more with each work out. They are total love sponges and anything to get a cheek rub (except Frasier still doesn’t always see the point of Down but he is coming around).
Im also happy to remote that Fraiser is doing very well with my dogs. He struggles to make friends because he is a nervous guy and so he sometimes throws punches where he needn’t but after a day or two to calm down and realize my dogs weren’t going to hurt him he now has two more good buddies. He pesters Dana too much now and then and she snaps at him but he takes it in stride and it doesn’t hurt his feelings.
Tomorrow is going to be a boring day for them as I have some family stuff lined up but they will get their play time and exercise in. Just a break from work in the afternoon. They’re doing great!

The boys are coming right along. They both have come along well with their commands. Still working on Down and Implied Stay but if I’m patient with them they get it eventually. They are both slow to respond to commands and they (Niles especially) will sometimes try to run from work or throw a fit. But he is also the one who soaks up the affection the most so while he is more likely to buck he also tries a little harder to get it right once he is in working mode. Frasier enjoys training but is obstinate and sometimes tries to wait me out or take corrections before he responds.
They are gentle dogs who require soft handling but also big ol’ babies who need discipline. They are an excellent example of dogs needing balanced training with care taken to give praise and discipline at the level which helps them learn.
Ive introduced them to their remotes but so far am only using it to clean up household behaviors (like shoe theft!). They need to be on their prong collars for a little longer before we make that transition.

What’s more fun than a Great Dane puppy? TWO Great Dane puppies. Fraiser and Niles are here for two weeks of obedience training. Their owner is a repeat customer so this isn’t her first rodeo.
These boys are exuberant and happy fellows who are slightly prone to temper tantrums and pouting but are overall very pleased to get some praise and love in return for work. Fraiser has a hard time making friends with other dogs but he is doing okay with the even tempered dogs here. He just doesn’t want to play with them yet. Niles is a very mild guy who doesn’t want trouble from anyone (possibly why his brother feels the need to over compensate for his brother’s lack of confidence).
Both boys are excelling at Heel and Autosit (but you have to give them a second to remember to sit) and they are doing okay with Down. They struggle with Implied Stay. They want to Velcro themselves to my leg which is very typical doofy Dane behavior.
These next few weeks will be a blast. I love how these two interact. They are so fun. Look to Instagram for occasional pictures and come back here for their blog updates!

Well my pal Sonny goes home tomorrow. He has made enormous stride these last two weeks. He is a classic bird dog in that his drive and work ethic make him a rewarding and satisfying dog to work with. He responds well to commands and is sensitive to correction so not much is needed.
His obedience commands are reliable though he gets sloppy if he is very excited. But it’s possible to keep him on task with reminders and high expectations. He knows his words well and so letting sloppy answers slide will make him lazy. But if you expect really good reliability from him and accept nothing else he delivers well.
I’m going to miss this fellow racing around the high pasture but I love that his owner is going to enjoy him so much. Sonny was a blast and I look forward to our follow ups down the road.

Sonny is officially in proofing mode. He knows his commands and we are just working on cleaning everything up and increasing distractions. He has been working very hard and other than occasionally guessing wrong when he tries to anticipate what I am going to ask for or trying to blow off the Down command (still his least favorite thing) he hardly needs any real correction at all though he appreciates guidance and reassurance he is getting it right since all this is still pretty new.
Sonny is an awesome student and the next few days will be fun now that he knows all his words and we can make things more interesting.