1.11.2009

Training Log #1:Out of Sortz

Posted by with 4 comments

Reactive II Class with Emma Parsons,
Author of Click to Calm

Lately my Thursday nights were all about after-dinner siestas. Not this Thursday-- no time for napping, we were headed out of the door by 7pm to make it in time for Reactive Dog class! My mom calls it my special ed. dog training class... I really don't think I'm special ed. I do like seeing my 'friends' even if we don't actually get to play with each other. I'll just sleep on the way there.

The First Class
Since it was the first session, we were hoping the other usual suspects, Otis & Shadow were signed up again. I didn't see them..And, Edge the naughty rottie wasn't there either. (His mom thought I could be his girlfriend:)) This means I was the only one repeating this time around, shucks. The new kids were Callie, a golden, Daisy some kind of cattle dog mix? (she wore a calming cap into class-never seen that before), Nola, a black chow chow, Max, a rottie, and me! Ok, so we have a new crew to get to know.

Tonight's Lesson: Reorienting to my mom
I took my usual spot in the back of the class-mostly b/c i'm one of the rowdiest. We have these tall wooden barriers in between us so we don't go 'over threshold' (or what my mom calls 'going berserko') just by seeing each other. Then class starts with everyone taking a turn walking out in the middle of the room, jumping over poles, walking on a teeter totter and going back to their spots. When i look at another dog, look at my mommie, hear a click, it gets me some tiny pieces of chicken! Everyone else has to practice watching me & staying calm--then they're clicked & treated too. Oh yeah, there was this pretend door we walked through too. i went first and everytime i stopped to look at my mommie, guess what? click & chicken. That's when our homework assignment was announced-HOMEWORK!! I had to practice reorienting to my mom at doorways, going in & out of the car, blah blah blah.

Sounds easy?? Well...with all these new dogs, smells and sounds, it kind of got everyone a little wound up for the first night. A bit of Grrring... barking... lunging. for me, i like watching, i always try to peek around that barrier thing. i want to see what emma is talking about AND what everyone else is doing too. Come on! Isn't this suppose to be fun?



Grade: B- a little out of sortz from having time off for the holidays.

Sorry, No Photos of class: we'll try to take pictures the next time.

4 WOO WOOs:

Unknown said...

Hi tm!

Click! Look at us! See that wasn't too hard!

Norwood

ntkelly said...

wow! such amazing talents. the blog home page keeps acting funny for me - hope something is just weird with the site right now. Send me the link via email just to be sure I've got the right one. Hugs and licks - cuzkel

Agatha and Archie said...

MUAHHHHHHHH!!! That is from Archie and me(PL2= pack leader) The trick worked with the clicker and turkey(of course that turkey was supposed to be for my lunch this week but i will have smaller sandwiches!!) And of course a plow didn't go by but he didn
t have his tail between his legs and wasn't pulling to get home and was totally focused on the turkey!!!! He even peed!! I thought that cheese was his big thing but I gusee not!! I am also very interested in this click to calm as both A+A are VERY VERY reactive!! I am going to read through your blog!!!!!!! Love PL@ and A+A

Bob and Nicky said...

Hi Diane & Tula

Waiting for Dad to come home from Vic Tanny - thought I would try to send a comment to your blog. Read the reactive dog from Tula's class. Sure fun taking the dog to the vet - don't know if I would like to be the vet. Our neighbor has another little dog who likes to bark - her name is Sophie -
cute little dog. Stay warm.
Love Mom