Updates and Other Miscellaneous News

By katie, on December 24th, 2010%

After all of the wonderful encouragement you all gave me in your comments after my string of that kind of days several changes happened. Some I chose, some that were just necessity. So an update seems in order.

Some of you may know I had the exciting privilege to write a guest post for Fearfuldogs Blog. I want to thank Debbie Jacobs for giving me the opportunity to share Maizey’s story on her blog. It is a wonderfully written and informative blog and I was honored to have a share in it. If you haven’t read it before it is well worth a regular read.

In other blog related news I updated our Who We Are page. It took me a while because it meant changing Meeka’s information and I just haven’t been able to face that. But I hadn’t added Magnus and he certainly deserves some explanation! Keep an eye out on that page as I hope to add a page with the story of each of my 4legged friends in the near future.

Many are already following our story using the Google Friend Connect Followers widget. For all you google, blogger and blogspot users I hope this is a good way to keep up with the blog.

Now you can also follow with through Networked Blogs using your Facebook profile. If you have a blog and a are part of Facebook Networked Blogs is a really cool tool to connect with other bloggers. I have thus far stayed off Facebook and Twitter, but am considering adding FB and Twitter like/share buttons. Do you regular readers find that helpful or fun to use those sites in your blogging?

In training news changes are also happening. Due to unexpected scheduling conflicts I had to postpone finishing Magnus’ Agility for Fun class. I am disappointed, but it is the best choice for the whole family right now.

Thankfully Astrid and the other wonderful trainers at Calling All Dogs are going to let us make up our last four classes the next time the class is available. I really want to say a special thanks to all of them, I am so glad we found such a great place, with generous trainers to work with.

In the meantime I am going to refocus on polishing up the new Training Levels. Maizey has completed level one and is mostly done with level two. Magnus will be finishing up level one and starting level two. I hope to do video’s of them both, but with all the “real life” I have going on around here I am not making promises on that one.

Generally our life, like many of yours, is a roller coaster ride, but even roller coasters have their thrills. Especially when it comes to the dogs the thrills keep rolling in, even if I do have to adjust my expectations and plans. So as the next year rolls around it will be fun to see what it brings in ups and downs, to share it with you all, and to read all of your stories of progress.

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9 comments   4legged lessons, agility for fun, classes, day to day doings, plans contrivances and projects, training levels   , , , ,   Copyright © 2011 Lessons From and For 4 Legs - All Rights Reserved

The Issue of Puppy Class

By katie, on October 24th, 2010%

I know I have mentioned before that I feel puppy class was one cause of many of Maizey’s reactive issues. And since I think I can teach the basic puppy class skills at home I thought I could focus on socialization enough that I wasn’t going to take Magnus to a puppy class.

I really feel like dog classes should be about training humans to train dogs. So while I can think of masses of things that a class could teach me, I am not so sure puppy class is the one that I have the most to learn from.

Much of puppy class is about socialization and play time is part of that. But I am terrified of play time now, it did Maizey so much damage. So depending on what puppies were in the class there is a chance I would not even let him do the play time part. Plus I do feel I am giving him enough play time with other dogs that play time is not that critical.

Unfortunately as much as none of us wants it to be a consideration funds are an issue. I have only so many dollars to spend on the dogs and I want them to go to the best purpose possible.

So with all that in mind I thought my mind was made up. But then I read about Henry’s first puppy class and it got me thinking. Am I depriving Magnus of a valuable learning experience?

There is no doubt in my mind Henry is getting the possible education at home. Better than my pups get by a long ways! But the lessons Henry learned at his first puppy class are some that I am not sure I am providing Magnus.

There is such value in a dog learning HOW to learn in that busy environment. Is there ways I can provide this at home? Maybe. I can do more formal learning on our socialization outings. But is that enough?

And so the questions continue!

What about you? Did you do a puppy class? What benefits did you feel it provided for your 4legged puppy? What benefit did you find for yourself as handler? What would you recommend in looking for a new puppy class? Are you pro puppy class or do you feel you can provide similar lessons at home? If you do, how?

Please lend me the value of your experience so I can quit feeling indecisive! (Oh ya and if not for me then please do so for Magnus, he is already handlercapped as it is!)

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8 comments   plans contrivances and projects   , ,   Copyright © 2011 Lessons From and For 4 Legs - All Rights Reserved

Training Levels Progress

By katie, on October 5th, 2010%

Sue Ailsby is reworking the Training Levels. While the new book is not yet released, she has generously put the outline of the new Steps To Success on her website.

There are now only four levels, but each level has five steps per behavior that must be passed. Of course I am a firm believer in the old levels, but so far I am finding the new levels much easier to follow, and very practical.

I decided to start Maizey over on the new levels, mainly to expose any holes in her training. And did we ever find some! L1 Sit, Step 4 was the biggest hold up for us. It states, “Dog sits by open door.” Simple enough, huh?

Sure unless you’ve been a lazy crazymomlady and let the little Turbo spend the first almost two years of her life turboing out the open door!

However after just a few sessions of c/t-ing at the open front door she is very close to passing this last step and passing L1. . . again!

She has passed seven out of the 14 behaviors in L2, and has only a few steps left to complete on many of the behaviors. A full report of what she has left is and will be updated in the Plans, Contrivances and Projects in Daily Life tab under THIS MONTH IN THE LIFE OF MAIZEY

Magnus too has started on the new Steps to Success. His progress can be found under THIS MONTH IN THE LIFE OF MAGNUS

So far he has not tested any behaviors but we are making good progress.

There is a bit of leeway on when you pass your 4legged friend from each step. I think I may err on the side of cation with this since I like to feel like they dogs are very solid in their performance of each step before they move forward.

For those of you that are using the Levels at what point do you give your 4legged friend a pass?

Something I didn’t do working the old Levels was write out the homework. So in keeping with my goal to do so this time here is my L1 homework for both pups:

Homework: List five things you hope to accomplish by working the Levels with your dog.
MAIZEY
1.) Help her gain confidence in herself and lessen reactivity to other dogs.
2.) Gain the skills needed to pass her CGC.
3.) Learn the foundation behaviors for Rally Obedience work.
4.) Let her learn day to day skills that will help her live a full, satisfying life as a productive member of our “community”.
5.) For me: learn about dog behavior and communication in a way I can apply to other 4legged friends in my life.

MAGNUS:
1.) Help him learn basic skills of obedience to be a peaceful family member and future “community” member.
2.) Lay a foundation that lets him keep the confidence he has shown while so young and thus be prepared for what life throws at him.
3.) Learn the skills needed for CGC.
4.) lay a foundation of skills to be used in Rally Obedience or possibly Agility.
5.) For me: continue learning how to communicate in training in ways that can be applied to all 4legged friends in my life.

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8 comments   plans contrivances and projects, training levels   , ,   Copyright © 2011 Lessons From and For 4 Legs - All Rights Reserved

Walking Challenges, Plans, Contrivances and A Purpose

By katie, on September 3rd, 2010%

One time I heard an illustration about the difference between a plan and a purpose. For the purpose of dog training it would look like this:

Your purpose is to have a well mannered, well rounded, skilled pup. Your plan to do so is to train that dog the necessary amount to pass her CGC and be able to perform the skills for Rally Obedience.

But on the road to your purpose there are a lot of “road blocks”. Reactivity rears its reactive head, other 4legged friends get Degenerative Myelopathy and require much more daily care, your pathetic 2legged body just doesn’t cooperate (ok thats a wimpy road block, but honest), real life just does get in the way of your plan.

Here is the superiority of having a purpose. A purpose is not so rigid that you can’t take a different route, bypass the road blocks and move on towards your ultimate goals.

A plan get derailed by the roadblock, not having a contingency plan to keep the purpose in focus the whole plan is derailed and failure looms! (Dramatic thunder and lightening booms here.)

I have a purpose so I do not feel failure loom, but I take a lot of refocusing to stay on the road to my ultimate goal of a well rounded, well mannered Maizey. It seems to take many adjustment in my plans that allows for contingencies.

It was only on August 11 that I did the last of these get organized and giddyup posts. Time for a new one, sorry! Maybe I should just make this a regular monthly feature to give forewarning to everyone!

Since this is the month of the walking challenge the plan is to work the rally skills we both know the basics of into our walks.

For an easy example, HALT: Handler stops, dog sits in heel position team heals forward. Should be pretty simple as we stop for each road crossing and can do random halts in any walk. Simple enough!

Another example, HALT DOWN: Handler stops, dog sits in heel position, then downs from sit. Team heels forward from down. Same application of above and all skills she knows well.

Okay, for the enactment of this plan I think I am going to need more flash cards! The same way I keep the TL’s skills for that session on a carabiner to my belt I can choose a couple Rally skills for that day/walk and put them with the TL’s ones. Ahh. . . now the plans are flowing.

For the CGC skills I want to focus on: obviously we will meet plenty of strangers walking so Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger, can continue as aforementioned, with the addition of some increasing distraction level by walking past the elementary school near here, she LOVES kids! This also works nicely for Test 2: Sitting politely for petting and obviously for Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead) also for Test 5: Walking through a crowd.

Again I can see the usefulness of more flash cards for this too. YAY! (I do love flash cards you know!)

Also this month I would like to work on Test 10: Supervised separation as the trouble spot to focus on. Having this nailed down more would have made our trip much easier on both of us. . . but that is its own post in itself!

Of course we will continue to work on Ricky’s Training Challenge, and finishing up our last 5 L2 skills:
distance, stand, stand-stay, target, trick.

So in conclusion I have a good purpose, which is what keeps me going and a lot of plans and contrivances. Perhaps a month in review may be in line here too! Goodness its, plans, contrivances and purposes, Oh my!

"Do you think she is biting off more than I can chew? Good thing I'm such a snarf hog!"

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2 comments   CGC, plans contrivances and projects, training levels, walking challenges   , ,   Copyright © 2011 Lessons From and For 4 Legs - All Rights Reserved
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