Both dogs were so consistent about getting the right article
among 2 pairs of unscented articles, I added another pair of articles on a
third mat a couple days ago, including an article dangling off a mat. Neither dog was fazed by the additional
pair. I’m began to send them from about
20 to 25 feet and sometimes added a little formality. Last night after training, I zip-tied the last
two pairs of articles to the mats. I let
the articles and mats air overnight and tested the dogs today.
No hesitation, and no problems with either. Obviously, they
have figured out this article thing.
What a thrill! The only other dog
I’ve taught articles to was my first standard poodle, Hemlock. He figured it out so quickly (I think with
just 3 or 4 sloppy training attempts on my part), that I didn’t learn anything
about really training it. Hemlock, from
the day I got him, would always seek items with my scent on it.
On other training fronts, I’ve also been concentrating on
Go-Outs and Directed Jumping this week.
Both dogs are now trotting (Alder) or running (Maple) to my PVC box in
front of ring gates. Alder did a new thing tonight of running out, hopping in
the box, and running right back, so I worked on getting him to run out and stay
in the box.
Alder had a seizure on Sunday and another during the day on
Monday. He hadn’t had a seizure in over
6 months, so, of course, that was depressing, but the vets always tell me that
an occasional break-through seizure is normal.
He was unusually perky and attentive in training this evening, probably
because we are having a cool spell. The high today was 71. I had to put on a jacket when I went out with
the dogs this morning. Summer, alas, is
coming to an end.
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