Bammie Training: Day 1

Hi, everyone! I started my 45-day training challenge yesterday. I thought I was keeping you up-to-date on my progress so you could see that with just a few minutes of training per day (5 minutes last night), you can meet all your training goals. My mom runs a business and is in graduate school, so if she has time for this, you will, too! Keep in mind that I have taken a basic manners class and have started learning most of the basic skills. However, the plan is still to start simple and progress to more difficult behaviors, just as your training program should.

I have already learned to sit, but my mom wants me to learn to sit still when people approach me. One of my main weaknesses is that I love to jump on people. My mom wants me to learn to be patient and accept pets without jumping. In order to do that, I need to first simply learn to sit. Thus, last night, my first training lesson involved 10-15 second sit-stays. I did this with no problem. I have learned a release command already, so I knew I was waiting for the wait. Mom could even take 2-3 steps without me moving and then walk back to me. If I had broken the stay at any point, she would have just put me back in it (with no treat) and given me an easier challenge, such as making me sit for less time or taking fewer steps away from me.

My mom also practiced down with me. I have learned that, but I only do it in certain contexts, and my down-stay isn't very long. She only had me stay 5 seconds or less on those down-stays.

My other main weakness is that I jump and sometimes bark when I walk past people and other dogs. If I am to take Chubbs' place as the demo dog in Mom's business, I have to walk calmly past people and dogs who aren't necessarily happy to see me. In order to do this, I have to first be able to get in a heel position and walk politely with no distractions. Then, I will practice with people alone and calm dogs, gradually increasing the level of distraction. As anyone who has taken my mom's basic manners class knows, the first step to teaching a moving heel is teaching a stationary heel. I need to learn how to be in that position until Mom tells me it's OK to leave. I did very well. We practiced four times, and I never tried to push ahead. Mom did not use a leash with me, but she recommends using a leash with dogs who might break the heel before released. It is important that the dog not leave the heel position until told if you would like to turn it into a moving heel, which my mom does.

If you have any questions on how to teach any of these behaviors, email my mom at melinda@pawspartners.com. It is difficult to describe how to teach heel, but if enough people are interested, we can make a video. Happy training!

Love, Bammie