Training Update

[ladyjubilee]

We have had some great successes, on both the dog and kid front. One strategy we've started is only doing mini training sessions to keep my son's frustration level low....because HE is learning to actually be her handler. This is far more than I ever thought could happen.

In our last session, he did more agility, then used his new communication device to give her obedience commands. We thought she would have to learn to obey the artifical voice, but immediately dropped into sit. He quickly caught on, while commanded her Heel independently while we were distracted.

To make this work, we have modified how we use the Ecollar. We are using tone for come when she is away from the adult. The vibrate is now her distance Good Girl, and zapper is her correction (usually on a 4 or 6, sometimes a 0). This change made so much impact in her work. She stopped looking away from him to check in with me, and just grew in confidence. It helped him be more confident too without mom hovering.

The other amazing result from the last time we went in is that my son walked her in--past two dogs in very close proximity. She didn't even flick an ear. She was completely in work mode focused totally on her boy. For a dog that used to go ballistic, it was HUGE.

And on the kid front he gets so excited about training her didnt sleep at all the night before.

[centrop67]

Thanks for the wonderful news. Sometimes I wonder if we deserve dogs