Week 6 LaLa Training Blog:

Lala and I have been working on what I am calling Week 6 of our training.  (technically, it is week 7, but I wasn't feeling too well on Week 6, so that was sub par in my efforts.

We have done some out and about light training (as you can see per the picture).  LaLa loves to be out and about and on adventure.   Dogs charging at us make us both uneasy, but LaLa does well anyway.  I do wish people would obey the after 6 pm leash laws on the beach (and on the roads to the beach) so it could be more enjoyable for everyone.  A friendly dog rushing up to your dog, is still a dog you and your dog don't know. I really wish people would be more considerate.

Anyway, LaLa and I have been working, and here are some videos that show some of our progress below:

Send to place is where you are having your dog step onto the place themselves.   The place is an object with a border that feels different than the floor, although there is also a negative space place you can teach your dog (like to stay within the circle of a leash).  Here we are working on LaLa's back end coming up onto the place going on the short side.   LaLa likes to keep her back end off from that side, and I am teaching her that the rules remain the same regardless of the width of the place object.  Being very aware of the rules of the exercises yourself, will build a more reliable communication in the future when you need it.  This took about 10 minutes (where I would like it down to less than 5 as a goal inside).  Maggie, the white goldendoodle, is also a distraction.

The inside dropped leash circle sit stay prepares Lala for long line work outside doing this eventually.  This is not to say that we will start long line immediately on practicing this outside.  These stay commands like place, down stay, or sit stay are all exercises that build impulse control in dogs.  For instance, LaLa is going to need some impulse control over the chipmunks outside, as I want her off leash in our yard in the future, instead of not listening to me and chasing things.   We have a lot of things to chase in our yard and neighborhood (deer, groundhogs, foxes, cats, squirrels, chipmunks, small birds and so on).

Long place inside with leash dropped  had been worked on in the past with the leash held while distractions are around (same as the circle place).   Now that she is better at it, we are practicing the long place with the leash dropped with tired dog distractions and I pretending not to be monitoring her.   I am getting some administrative work done here on my computer.   LaLa does get up once in, as she wants to hang out with me, Maggie (not pictured), and Bandit (sleeping on the floor).  This is a vast improvement over getting up 5 times or more.   At the end, she decides to snooze instead.  You want this to be an area where your dog knows they are going to relax for awhile.   The only rule of place is that they can not put any feet flat on the ground.  I do allow them to drape their feet if it is a cot style bed as shown.

Week 7 going forward, I am going to be working on our walk much more, especially off property.  She is fairly good walking on a loose leash on property even with the chipmunks around (although I won't say there is perfection every time).   Also I am going to bring her training more and more outside.   On her inside training, some will be off leash, and I am going to be concentrating on our form.  It is possible that LaLa may be doing some obedience competition with me, so I want to concentrate on some of those skills now, and not try to clean up later.   Some rules have changed since last time I titled my and my clients dogs.   So I need to try to work for those differences too.   I don't see any reason with LaLa's temperament  that we could not achieve this, if I (especially me) worked on it.