What crummy weather we've had the past few days! We lose our internet out here very easily and so I have not been able to post blogs but Chief has been working very hard. He has been introduced to Heel with an automatic sit, Down at the handler's left side and from the handler's front, Sit, Come and sit, and Placemat. All of these commands have an Implied Stay. He still toils with Come, he is good about coming near me but stays out of my arms reach. I am trying to train him to come close enough that I can get something out of his mouth but he is very hesitant to approach me all the way. I can tell that were he off leash he would be bolting and bouncing around and playing the "chase me" game. He is very playful and sweet but he is still prone to tantrums at times and when he gets into a mood he is very dramatic. He tries to control the leash when he is forced to do something he doesn't want to and will flop over and grab it with his paws or mouth. When he does this I give him a correction but I do not acknowledge these little fits too much. He is trying to be manipulative and once he realizes it isn't working he gets up and is usually willing to try again.
He isn't a bad tempered dog at all, he just has his own ideas about what would be fun to do and objects strongly when he doesn't get his way. I think much of this attitude stems from me not being his person. He seems like very much a one or two person dog and not very inclined to work for strangers.
He stayed on Placemat for 45 minutes today. He didn't want to go onto it at first but soon gave up the argument and pouted for a while and fell asleep. Secretly I think he enjoyed the nap.
Tomorrow I have a miraculously free Saturday and so am going to focus on trying to make working more fun for him. So far, because of my packed lesson schedule, it has been mostly formal workouts and not a whole lot of lifestyle work. Tomorrow I am hoping to dedicate a few hours to simply having Chief in the house with me and using the obedience like it will be used when he gets home. We may take a walk to the mailbox in a Heel, he will have to hold a Sit/Stay while I check the box. We might watch some TV on Placemat, or hold a Down while I feed the baby. Simple day-to-day tasks that will help break up the monotony of Heel, Sit, Down, Come, Heel, workouts will hopefully help him have a bit more fun.
He isn't a bad tempered dog at all, he just has his own ideas about what would be fun to do and objects strongly when he doesn't get his way. I think much of this attitude stems from me not being his person. He seems like very much a one or two person dog and not very inclined to work for strangers.
He stayed on Placemat for 45 minutes today. He didn't want to go onto it at first but soon gave up the argument and pouted for a while and fell asleep. Secretly I think he enjoyed the nap.
Tomorrow I have a miraculously free Saturday and so am going to focus on trying to make working more fun for him. So far, because of my packed lesson schedule, it has been mostly formal workouts and not a whole lot of lifestyle work. Tomorrow I am hoping to dedicate a few hours to simply having Chief in the house with me and using the obedience like it will be used when he gets home. We may take a walk to the mailbox in a Heel, he will have to hold a Sit/Stay while I check the box. We might watch some TV on Placemat, or hold a Down while I feed the baby. Simple day-to-day tasks that will help break up the monotony of Heel, Sit, Down, Come, Heel, workouts will hopefully help him have a bit more fun.
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