Meet Maverick! An eighteen month old German Shepherd who has joined us for our Two Week Board and Train Program. He is here for basic obedience, nipping, and jumping to greet. Maverick listens when he wants to and can walk on a leash until there is a distraction, which will make him pull on his leash. He tries to steal food from other dog bowls and can take food from people as well. Over the next fourteen days, Maverick will work on his behavior and be set up for success, with the hopes of becoming a well mannered pup. Check in to see his progress!
Maverick and I spent the afternoon getting to know each other and establishing a bond. We took a trip to a local Home Depot and went for a walk throughout the store. Maverick was heavily pulling on his leash, so I corrected his behavior by going in the opposite direction, and having him catch up to me with leash tension as guidance. He is still learning and needs a little more work, but we will continue practicing, as it will be implied on every walk we go on from here on out.
Maverick and I drove out to a local park today and met with other trainers and their dogs. He did very well throughout our walk, as I reminded him to āHeelā whenever there was a distraction. He still gets a little ahead of me at times, but with a little leash tension, I am able to have him get back into position and continue on our walk. He did really good around different dog and people distractions, as the other trainers assisted us by using their dogs to have him follow through. He has also developed separation anxiety from me when he is with someone else, and we are going to work on that throughout the rest of his Program. Maverick has an ear infection that I am keeping an eye on, and I am also cleaning it up.
Maverick was introduced to Place which consists of having him getting onto an elevated object and remaining there in a Sit or a Down. It builds confidence in a dog, and it can also be of great use whenever guests are over or if there is a knock on your door. To teach Maverick, I walked him over to the object, and guided him with leash tension to have him hop on. He did very well on a few park benches, but had a little trouble on an object near the skatepark. It was a little narrow for his size and he was hesitant about it initially, but with repetition and patience, Maverick was able to follow through. I will continue to introduce Maverick to different textures and surfaces throughout his training and continue to build his confidence more.
Maverick and I worked on his recall today which is also known as Come to Sit. It consists of having Maverick come towards my right side, going around behind me, and sitting on my left. To teach Maverick, I used leash tension to have him come towards me. To have Maverick go around behind me, I used his kibble to lure him all the way around, and rewarding him when he sat on my left. He was having some trouble going around behind me initially during our first few sessions, but with consistency and patience, I was able to work Maverick through it.
Maverick and I have been working on his Down. Down can be a difficult technique to teach considering it being a submissive position to a dog. To teach Maverick, I asked him to Sit, and then used leash tension and his favorite snack to lure him towards the ground. He sat up during our first attempts so I placed my hand over his back and kept him from getting up by applying slight pressure whenever he made an intent. It took time and patience, with breaks in between to avoid frustration, but Maverick was able to accomplish his Down.
Maverick and I have been working on our Heel turns. There are instances when I turn, and he comes to a stop at times, so I use leash tension and verbal encouragement to work him through it. He is improving and making progress the more we work on it. Maverick has learned all of his commands and will now begin to work on them by increasing distance and duration the next couple of days. His Come to Sit also needed some cleaning up as he would Sit a little behind me, but by luring him with treats, he is doing better at understanding what I am asking.
Maverick and I are practicing his Extended Sit and he has a little trouble maintaining it whenever I would start increasing distance. He does better when he is on āPlaceā rather than on the ground. He would almost immediately come out of it as soon as I stepped away. To help him with that, I moved back one foot at a time with five second increments. One foot back is five seconds, two feet back is ten seconds, three feet back is fifteen and so on. Maverick is still working on it and he is showing better results. He is almost up to one minute, and we will continue to practice in order to have Maverick reach his goal.Ā
Maverick and I went out for a walk around my neighborhood and began working on Heel with his leash dragging. We had a few warm up sessions in my backyard and he had a little trouble staying on my left as he would try to cut in front of me and move towards my right. To correct that behavior, whenever he made the intent of cutting me off, I would move towards my left and move Maverick towards that direction with my leg. Once he understood the correction, we went outside and Maverick did a good job. The grass was a distraction to him, but with some verbal encouragement and by reminding him to āHeel,ā Maverick got back into position as we continued on our walk. Maverick and I will continue with his leash dragging around more distractions in public areas as he prepares for his off leash experience.
Maverick and I worked on some leash dragging exercises today. He is doing a lot better with his Heel, and he is not being distracted by the grass as much. He had a little trouble with Down initially, since it was his first time working on it without any leash tension. He also had trouble with it around other dogs, but with repetition and consistency, Maverick followed through. His Come to Sit can use a little more practice, and his Place is looking great the more we work on it.
Maverick and I have been working on Door Manners since the day I brought him home. Anytime I opened a door, Maverick would always want to be the first one to go through. To help him into not doing so, I would ask him to Down when we approached a door. Once in a Down position, I proceeded to open the door, and made sure Maverick remained in his position. When I opened the door, every time he sat up meant the door would close, and the process would repeat itself.Ā Once Maverick understood what I was asking, I began to increase time and distance to keep him in a Down longer, which led to Maverick achieving his two minute goal.
Maverick and I have been working on his Greeting Manners in which he has shown a big improvement in. He has learned that he is to remain in a Sit whenever he is approached by someone that wants to say hello. It was difficult for him to do so in the beginning of his training, since he would come out of his Sit whenever I stepped away and he would occasionally jump on people when they made an approach. With repetition and consistency, Maverick has managed to successfully be greeted without coming out of his Sit.
Maverick and I have been working off leash and he is doing very well around people and dogs passing him by. He also worked around ducks in a nearby pond and did not react to them. Maverick worked on Place today since it is the one he was having most trouble with off leash, considering there was not any leash guidance. He would also come out of Place if there was a distraction passing by but after a few sessions, Maverick was able to follow through. He will continue to work off leash for the remainder of his Program as he prepares for his Final.
Maverick and I worked on his Final today and put on a very good performance. Everything he has learned was put together and came out very nicely. He did very well with the distractions around him, and received many compliments on his good behavior. Maverick has great potential, and with practice and consistency, he can be capable of so much more. He has come a long way, and it is great to see the progress he has made.
Maverick has completed his Two Week Board and Train Program and is ready to come home. I want to thank you for trusting me with Maverick while he was under my care, and for giving me the opportunity to be his trainer. He was a pleasure to work with and I am going to miss his companionship. His Final video will be up soon, but here is a sneak peek of Maverick working on Food Manners. Thank you Maverick!
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