How's The Training? Week 4

You know, I love that Rusty knows how to sit and drop and leave it, but honestly, if we didn't go to training I don't think that I'd know where to start!

Leave it is hard and well, so is being a rescued dog.

This week's new commands are leave it randomly AND come.

The dog needs to know how to come. And we need to majorly practice. He's not very good at coming when called when there's distractions. That's going to take some work so here's how to teach come.

Be prepared:
High value treats
20 - 30 foot lead
Open space
2+ people
Dog

Step 1: Get a 20 - 30 foot long lead and snap it on to their collar.

Step 2: Find an open spot to train. We prefer the park with distractions.

Step 3: Have high value treats for all those involved whether it be cheese or hot dogs.

Step 4: Standing a ways from each other, but close enough to reach you on the lead, begin with the dog starting at one person.

Step 5: Have the other person say, "Rusty, come!" in an excited manner.

Step 6: Only say it once. No need to say it more.

Step 7: As soon as the dog starts heading to you, jump up and down, act excited, wave your hands in the air, say, "Good dog!!!" over and over until he gets to you.

Step 8: Make sure you put your hands on the dog. Come is not a game, there will be no darting away, no chasing, etc... When your hands are on the dog, reward with the value treat.

Step 9: Go back and forth for awhile and practice. Move around the park to different areas, do it in your backyard, family room, etc... And PRACTICE!!! Come is for safety.


Leave It Randomly

Be prepared:
Treats
Shoes (wear them please)
Random items you don't want your dog to get
Dog

Step 1: Drop quite a few treats on the ground (See? Way different but totally new and exciting!) along with books, etc... Whatever you don't want your dog to get into.

Step 2: Walk along the path of dropped treats and stuff - randomly say "Leave it" if he notices a treat. If he starts to go for it, step on it with your foot. Remember, only say leave it ONCE. As soon as he stops looking at the treat/item, reward with treat FROM YOUR HAND.

Step 3: Walk along the path again, only this time, randomly say, "Take it" for treats or toys that you'd like him to have.

NOTE: Take it is the beginning of something beautiful. Drop your keys? "Take it!" Drop a sweater? "Take it!" Want Rusty to get something for you? "Take it!" This is a fabulous command that will come in handy more times than you think!

Step 4: Practice, practice and practice. Do this in different places with all different treats. Generalize as much as possible so that Rusty will do this in any place, just like any other command.

Good luck and have fun!

The Tug-A-Jug

What happens when your dog gets bored? A lot! Or not a lot! Rusty is known for stealing socks, chewing on the corner of the coffee table and generally being a MONSTER. He gets two walks per day plus playtime and then what most dog people call mental stimulation.

If you're dog does not get enough healthy exercise and mental stimulation, this can lead to many problems down the road! They can learn how to jump up on countertops and eat your dinner, chew on your deck, couch, chairs, mattresses, etc... Mental stimulation helps to curb that, plus it's a great help for when you want your dog to learn - the brain needs stimulating to learn new things.

For example, before we go on a walk we practice sitting, drop, leave it, take it, finding me, etc... to be able to try and identify new smells on the walk. It's like an old person, you'd lose your mind too if you didn't use it!

So give the Premier Busy Buddy Tug-a-Jug a try. Stick about a half cup of food in it at first, then either up the contents or just put in what's needed to feed for the day. This tool (notice I didn't say toy) also helps fast eaters to slow down. They have to work to get their reward. Pretty cool, huh?

We never leave this out if there's more than 1 cup of food in it - we don't want a fat dog!

Tuesday's Treat

Dogswell Happy Hips Chicken Breast Dog Treats (2-lb resealable bag - 2-Pack)

Most large dogs have some sort of hip or joint problem. We're working on having that NOT happen. Larger dogs can get what's called hip dysplaysia and dogs can show signs of it as young as, well, puppies which is unfortunate. Dogs will show signs of pain and discomfort after exercise, long periods of sitting, standing or lying down. Happy Hips includes all the vitamins and minerals that your dog needs to help either with the pain OR to prevent it. And no, I'm NOT paid to advertise it - it's just what happens to work for us!

Make sure you have your dog x-rayed at a young age to determine its joint issues. Some dogs may NEVER have this happen and are happy as a clam until they die. Others have hip issues around 6 or 7, sometimes they don't even start until they're 10 or 11.

Bimmer Man and I had to put the Bimmer Dog to sleep last October because of bone cancer (which I'll get to at a later date, especially the signs and symptoms) so health issues I watch for every single day and anything that happens to enhance Rusty's health, I'll definitely give a try!

How's The Training? Week 3

Today's lesson: Leave it AND down

To preface anything we use "Drop" for down. So don't confuse anything!

To leave it:

Have food in both hands. This is a necessity. To learn leave it, you don't ever reward with what you do not want them to have.
Step 1: Take food in both hands, put one hand to your side or behind your back.

Step 2: With your other hand, stick it in front of his face so he can smell, open your hand and say, "Leave it."

Step 3: If he tries to get at the food, close your hand. Say leave it only ONCE.

Step 4: The minute he turns away and leaves it alone, reward with the food from the opposite hand.

Step 5: Switch it up - switch hands, put the food on the floor, put it on his paw, etc... We practice with rolling grapes too.

Rusty is pretty good! I can't say that he doesn't want the food because obviously, dogs need to practice their impulse control. So we're working on it! You can put a grape on his paw and he won't eat it. Which is fabulous!

Teaching down - oops, I mean we say drop.

Step 1: Put them in a sit position.

Step 2: With the treat in your hand, bring it down to the floor in front of him but don't give it until he's all the way on the ground and click your clicker.

Step 3: Reward and praise.

Step 4: Practice!

How's The Training? Week 2

Loose leash walking and sitting. Rusty does not do very well at loose leash walking, like he's not going to get it for another 6 - 8 months so we don't really practice, instead he walks on the Halti and that's that.

To practice loose leash walking:
1. The reward is the continuation of the walk, but still have treats.
2. With your first step say, "Rusty, Let's go!" and start walking. If the dog immediately runs forward, stop and stand still.
3. When the dog acknowledges you, say good dog and then start walking again with a "Let's go!"
4. I used the variation of it and turned around to walk the opposite way.

Rusty still didn't get it after a week. Oh, well. That's a rescue pup for ya!

Learning to sit:

Rusty did not sit at all when we first brought him home. Now he sits when he thinks he's getting a treat. Go figure.

1. Hold the treat between your first finger and thumb, the other three fingers straight (sorry, I'm horrible at describing hand signs) pointed to the back of the dog.
2. Put the treat just above the dogs nose to let him smell the treat.
3. Slowly move your hand towards the dog's head, making him look up and his bottom hit the ground.
4. Click as soon as the rear end hits the floor and treat.

NOTE: I did not write to say "Sit!" That comes later... So no worries!

Kennel Club Quilt

Kennel Club Percale sheets from The Company Store are on sale now! Way too cute for a child's bedroom. They're absolutely adorable!
And then there's the matching quilt and shams. A twin is $150, but it has to be going on sale soon - start off with the sheets!
OMG - How cute is this??? Absolutely adorable - especially if you happen to own a breed that's featured on the quilt. What a great decorating idea to get a child excited for a new dog.

Doggie Horoscopes? Seriously?

Oh, yes! So I really took Rusty's horoscope to be a Scorpupio - totally his personality!

Follow the link here to find your dog's Dogoscope!