Meet Callie! She is a Husky Mix who has joined us for our Two Week Board and Train Program. She is here for basic obedience, jumping on people and furniture, digging, and door manners. Callie also gets overly excited around other dogs, and tends to pull on her leash and whine when a dog is near her. She knows how to jump in a car but will not listen when she is asked to. Over the next fourteen days, this smart girl will work on her obedience and behavior, and be set up for success, with the hopes of having her become a well behaved pup. Check in to see her progress!
Callie and I spent the day getting to know each other. We went for a walk in the park to establish a bond and I introduced her to Heel. Heel consists of having Callie walking with me on my left side. During our walk, Callie started to walk ahead of me, so I turned around, walked in the opposite direction, and had her catch up to me. There were a few times that she fell behind, but with treats and verbal encouragement, Callie comes back into position. It is a work in progress, but Heel will now be implied on every walk we go on from here on out.
Callie and I drove out to a local park and continued to practice on her Heel. She is doing very well and improving the more we work on it. We also met with other trainers and their dogs who assisted Callie by serving as a distraction. During her pickup, I noticed how she would try to lunge at other dogs and would start whining at them when they were nearby. Throughout our walk around the park, anytime Callie came across a dog, I would redirect her in the opposite direction before she had any time to react. She does not show any aggression, it is more of her way of showing a play interaction. I am working her through it and she is learning to be around dogs when she is in a calmer, relaxed state.
Callie was introduced to Place today, which consists of having her getting onto an elevated object and remaining there in a Sit or a Down. Place is a great technique that can be used whenever guests are over or when there is a knock at the door. Callie understood the concept of it, but still needed assistance with her back legs to fully have her on. By using leash tension and giving her back legs a boost, Callie followed through and is beginning to hop onto the objects rather than climb onto them.
Callie and I worked on some confidence building by placing on different objects, and we also did some loose leash walking at an outdoor shopping center today. She also worked on her recall which is known as Come to Sit. It consists of having Callie coming towards my right, going around behind me, and sitting on my left. During our first sessions, Callie would either stop at my right side, or she would Sit behind me. To fully have her come around to my left, I used treats to lure her, and guided her with leash tension as well. I am slowly fading out the treats, and even though we are still cleaning it up, Callie is showing improvement.
Callie and I worked on Down today. Down can be a difficult technique to teach considering it being a submissive position to a dog. To teach Callie, I asked her to Sit, and then used leash tension and her kibble to lure her towards the ground. She sat up during our first attempts so I placed my hand over her back and kept her from getting up by applying slight pressure whenever she made an intent. It took time and patience, with breaks in between to avoid frustration, but Callie was able to accomplish her Down.
Callie and I went on a pack walk to work her through her excitement with other dogs. She is already accustomed to walking next to one dog during our morning walks, so this was a big test for her. Callie adjusted really well and was able to walk in the middle of the pack without any reaction to the other dogs around her. Callie is also doing well ignoring other dogs across the street during our walks throughout my neighborhood, as well as ignoring other dogs in their front yards.
Callie and I took a drive to a local park and worked on her Extended Sit around people and dog distractions. Callie did very well passing by a few dogs, and going around them throughout our walk. She does get curious at times and turns her head towards them, but I redirect her my way with a treat or by picking up my pace. She is doing a good job with her Extended Sit and can remain in her position for up to one minute. I will continue to work on it by increasing more distance and time to have her reach her two minute goal. Callie has learned all of her commands, and with week one coming to a close, she will begin training with her leash dragging, in preparation for her off leash experience.
Callie and I went out to a local mall and did a little shopping today. We took a walk throughout the shopping center so she can adjust to her surroundings. She has done very well with our loose leash walking, so today we began working with her leash dragging. She did pretty good staying at my side during our walk around people serving as a distraction. Callie and I will continue to work this way for the next couple of days in more public areas.
Callie and I worked on some more leash dragging sessions today. She is doing well with her recall and her Extended Sit. Her Down needed a little work today as she would come out of it when I would start walking away, but we reset and kept trying until Callie followed through. She did pretty good with other dog distractions in the area, and remained in her position as a few of them passed by and even laid down next to her.
Callie and I practiced some off leash conditioning with minimal distractions at a local park today. She worked well around a few bicycles, dogs, people, and squirrels. The squirrels were her biggest distraction as she became very interested in them, but with redirection and keeping her attention on me, Callie began to ignore them, as seen in the video before I ask her to Down. Her Heel still needs a little cleaning up, but Callie is just about ready to work fully off leash.
Callie and I have have been working on her Greeting Manners in which she has shown a big improvement in. Callie has learned that she is to remain in a Sit whenever she is approached by someone that wants to say hello. It was difficult for her to do so in the beginning of her training, since she would either come out of her Sit whenever I stepped away, or would sometimes jump at a person who was greeting her. With repetition and consistency, Callie has managed to successfully be greeted without coming out of her Sit.
Callie worked with another trainer today and worked on a few commands to have her generalize her cues with different handlers. She did really well working on her Heel, Extended Sit, recall, and Extended Down. With the progress Callie has made, she is ready to begin filming for her Final. It will be the main focus for the remainder of her Program.
Callie and I have been working on Door Manners since the day I brought her home. Anytime I opened a door, Callie would always want to be the first one to go through. To help her into not doing so, I would ask her to Down when we approached a door. Once in a Down position, I proceeded to open the door, and made sure Callie remained in her position. When I opened the door, every time she sat up meant the door would close, and the process would repeat itself. Once Callie understood what I was asking, I began to increase time and distance to keep her in a Down longer, which led to Callie achieving her two minute goal.
Callie has completed her Two Week Board and Train Program and is ready to come home. We became really good friends and it was a pleasure to have her in my home for the last fourteen days. I want to thank you for trusting me with Callie, and for giving me the opportunity to be her trainer. She will be missed and I am looking forward to showing you what she has learned. Thank you Callie!
Comments