Ahem. Cutting, cutting, cutting. I never get as far as I want – and although there is merit to lofty goals, too lofty is just depressing and disappointing. So without further ado:

Review July:

Manners – Sit for leash is good. Sit for release, needs more work.

Matwork needs loads more work. He is far too alert to be able to use it for settling and calming. He can lie on his side now, for a count of 2-3, but the behaviour is still lured, and no cue.

Permission to sniff… the nose target is a decent compromise between rushing off, and trying to get eye contact. There is the occasional ‘brush and rush’ (where he anticipates the reward and so is only barely close to the hand), but it’s better than it used to be.

Harness almost no work. Should have put him in a life vest in a boat on vacation – but with the difficulties here and how sensitive he is about stuff on his back, it seemed like a better idea to just hold on tight.

No muzzle, what with the heat increasing.

His weight shifts are good, but his pivots occasionally have more gusto than precision. The come-game needs more work inside and outside, but his Zen 1 is crossed off our list, as are Down 1, Sit 1, Target 1, Chin rests and a simple Release jump.

Zen 2 has started; I can count to 30 now (but it’s normal speed counting, rather than seconds, so I’m probably at an actual count of 20ish). Haven’t worked much distance.

His reactivity continues, of course. But there seems to be a more clear distinction between stuff he is cautiously fearful about (objects, usually; creaking signs, fish nets blowing in the wind, a coffee cup lid on the ground, vacuum cleaner), and stuff he reacts aggressively towards to ‘make bad stuff go away!’ (typically people approaching, people on wheels, bikes, strollers, etc.). And the trigger stacking can be a nightmare…

So for August:

On rotation daily: People, harness, (muzzle on hold until cooler weather, or I buy a basket type), sit-for-release, touch-for-sniff, mat and settle when he is actually calm. Come-game (which needs a new cue) and anti-guarding.

Talk to vet about ‘snip-snip’.

Week 31 leftovers

Nothing in particular happening. As mentioned in the weekly plan:

• Foundation skills: Zen 2; Floor-zen, increasing duration to 30 actual seconds, adding some distance.
• Let’s also start Focus 2 – our bane. The cue for this is ‘Look at me’ or ‘Watch’. Step 1 is a glance, steps (2, 3, 4, 5) are respectively (2 sec, 6 sec, 10 sec, being ‘In the game’).
• Other skills: Left Pivot

Week 32

Fenris has a babysitter on the weekend, while we travel to a wedding

• Zen 2; probably still need to work on distance, reward from elsewhere.
• Focus 2; probably still needs more work
• Weight Shift Backwards. Focus myself on getting a clean training loop on this one.
• Tucked Sit. Throw to reset, work up the plan I’ve made for myself. Can we get a cue now?

Week 33

Beginners’ Agility course on the weekend!

• Focus 2
• Tucked Sit
• Wrap; Let’s remove that figure 8 mistake, and get some progress on left/right cues.
• Pivot; Right Pivot.

Week 34

• Focus 2
• Come 2; The end of this level is 40 feet to get his leash on. Including working it for other people. Every mountain climb starts with a single step.
• Wrap
• Pivot Left/Right. Focus.

Week 35 – Grace, review, how far did I get?

Cold testing, checking up on stuff, lamenting lack of progress where we went slower – and tail-spinning over where we moved faster.