Review week 4, plan week 5, 2020.

Awesome obedience:

Distance work – I set up a target stick in a box. (Punched a hole in the lid, and added a jar inside for extra stability.) Our first small session I held the whole thing, to make it still look like a target stick, and then slowly moved it towards the floor until it stood on its own. It took a few experiments for him to discover that pawing the box did not get treats – but nose touches like we use in hand, did. After that, he worked like a champ. This is a foundation for directed work and moving away from handler and loads of stuff in all disciplines. Good boy.

Backwards walking. Working on snoot up. 2 steps, but he was a little tired, and it took a couple of reps before I had an enthusiastic attitude.

Zen bowl cue discrimination. Took him a few moments, and it seems my ‘foot forwards’ is sort of an error message for him.

Health and wellbeing:

Strength training – basic click-and-treat with a round cushion, trying to get an understanding that it’s not a toy, and not something to kick around on the floor. I think we got one rep of him stepping on it.

Project Buttons:

A little random still. Sometimes he still seems to just paw vaguely in that direction in the hopes of some sort of reward. He also had an instance of resource guarding the buttons. That was weird – but kind of obvious in hind sight. He does guard – and the buttons are a major predictor of good stuff. The chew-bone button gets regular use. Occasionally reverting to whines and gazes to go out.

Tricks, Agility and Retrieve:

Target stick as mentioned above.

Practiced his retrieve hold during movement today. It seems to hold value for him, and I think he actually asked to train it; pawing in the direction of the basket where the dummy lies.

Come to side – agility exercise. Practiced during play outside; he sits, I walk away and call to the hand that hangs down. Enthusiastic bump as he comes running – and then I throw a ball for him.

Next week:

Social: Two conscious outings.

Recalls: Treats and family distractions. Restrained recalls.

Steps to Success: Settle with play 3×15 sec; Focus 10-15 seconds inside, 6-8 sec outside; Crate 10-30 sec. Handling feet. Continue practicing invitations through outside door and out of car.

Obedience: Zen bowl, position changes on platform – final run through before moving on to other things next month.

Nosework: sausage wall.

Agility/Tricks: Spin/Twist practice. Backup to Middle. Distance target over cavalletti.

M	T	O	T	F	L	S
Long walk	Strength Hind-legs.	Long walk	Grace	Strength Core. Recalls	Strength Front quarters.	Long walk Recalls
Agility	Steps to Success	Agility		Outing, social	Handling	Agility
Social at home	Obedience	Hand-ling		Nosework	Steps to success	Obedience