Week 8 LaLa's Training Blog: Social Butterfly Week

LaLa and Foxie in the penned in yard

This week, LaLa had a lot of both canine and human company around her in the house.   So far, she is absolutely turn key with the human company.   She just wants to snuggle with them or enthusiastically greet them.  My brother in law came for a visit, and our cleaning person is also a favorite of LaLa's.

She likes other dogs, but he it takes her a day or two to get to know them and not be so forward with them.   Once she feels comfortable with them, she is great.  I don't let her play with everyone, because she can be a bit much (even with us) in that regard.  LaLa just keeps getting better and better as time goes on.

Dog trainer's dogs (especially if their owner trains out of the home) need their own time and space too.   I make sure LaLa gets that, and is not too overwhelmed during the day.   This allows her to enjoy her experiences more rather than see them as an endless chore to be endured.  So some training is done around other dogs and people, and some training is just alone time for the both of us.  Then there is downtime that we both need during the day, and her exercise and fulfillment needs met during the day.  LaLa is not very demanding, but I know from experience that meeting dog's needs even if they don't insist on it makes for a happier dog.

LaLa did well with the new students, Remi and Knox.   She was a little leary of Remi at first, since she is just a happy enthusiastic puppy.  Some older dogs find that off putting at first.   Once LaLa realized she is just a sweet little thing, kisses were swapped between the two.   LaLa does prefer dog's like Knox.   Just a young goof of a male puppy.  Her best playmate right now is Frankie, a Golden Retriever she has gotten to know over a month know.   They will just wrestle each other all day if you let them.  LaLa's best quiet time friend is our blind senior friend, Bandit.  They like to sniff and nap together.  So LaLa has been making a whole range of canine friends.

Knox Maggie and Remi

With the increased company of both humans and canines in the house this week, calming and obedience exercises were worked on at home.  It is difficult for dogs to happily share their territory sometimes.   Being an only child myself, I get that.   It seems to bother LaLa not too much, but I want to remain respectful of her need for peace, quiet, and alone time at some point during the day, as well as paying attention to the importance of her training around distractions.   LaLa and Robert also need their special time during the day as well.  Robert has been entertaining her with some trick training and giving a lot of love during the day.  Here is our training sheet for the week.  Note;  Saturday is not done yet, and I somehow hurt my knee so I took the day off on Friday.

Here is a little snippet on why Sit on The Dog is important for LaLa.  LaLa in the video is finding it a bit challenging to chill while her friends play close by.  This is a behavioral exercise, which means no commands are involved.   Later on I will be able to show you a similar scenario where she is not reacting to dogs moving.  She reacts like this even when dog's are playing at  a distance on the beach.   It is overarousal, and if a dog does not learn impulse control later on for off leash training, it will limit their ability to enjoy safe off leash freedom within the confines of our domestic life.  Not many people understand or know how calming behavioral exercises can help with their dogs.   LaLa has already come along way with her impulse control in other situations, and this will also be easy peasy for her later on.  I never let my dogs play or greet other dogs when they are in an aroused excited state like this.  It can lead to all sort of misunderstandings between canines and possible physical disagreements.   LaLa is just frustrated here, because for this moment she was not allowed to join in.   Dog's do need an off switch on occasion though and a way to learn how to calm down.