What's Your Biggest Training Challenge Today?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

It seems to me that my training challenges change and evolve.  Of course it starts with all that "puppy stuff".  Then you get those behaviors under control, but new challenges crop us as you Doodle grows.  So you start down the adolescent road when they're just so full of themselves. This presents a whole new world of behaviors...and it varies from Doodle to Doodle.  Guinness seemed to "sail right through" adolescence.  He so wanted to please his "humans", that he almost never challenged ANYTHING.  He was a "go with the flow" kind of guy.  He never wanted to "rule the house", he just wanted to be cuddled...LOL.  Now I've got a guy who thinks he deserves to be "running the show".  I won't go into any more detail on that, because I think everyone is probably sick of hearing about Murphy's attempt to overthrow the "rulers" in our household.  But, I'm thinking it would be great to get a handle on what everyone in this group thinks is their "greatest challenge".  We may find lots of common ground which could lead us into some separate discussions that are focused on particular areas of concern.

[Christine & Shelby]

Shelby is 11 months old. Biggest challenges right now.... not jumping up on visitors to our home or on people we meet on walks. Leash pulling.... I am transitioning her from harness to collar (harness not allowed for Therapy work). And finally - not trying to chase/jump on joggers as they run by. We are making progess on this in the last few days using a watch me and treat distraction when a jogger approaches. Yesterday - Shelby spotted a jogger in the distance, went in to a sit and looked at meet awaiting her treat. I was so excited!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I have to use a flat collar and regular leash too because of the Therapy certification. The "pulling" is primarily what we worked on with my trainer last week, and I'm seeing great improvement with that every day. Because part of the "walk training" is about being focused on me, Murph has been so much better these past few days with the joggers and even the squirrels. I'm still waiting for us to encounter another dog....that's the real test of our "new strategy". It's great that Shelby was so good on the last "jogger spotting". Don't those little "wins" make you feel GREAT?

[Adina P]

If you could find someone with a good practice dog to walk by over and over around the block...that would be so cool.  

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I know....that's exactly what I need.

[Adina P]

We need a Rent-a-Distraction store!

[Adina P]

I have several challenges, to name a few...

1) I can't take Natalie with me when I train...so it's tough to work out the time to take Boca. I have to time it with Natalie's afternoon nap most of the time so Clark can continue to work (he works from home mostly) while I go train. I've succumbed to dropping her off at a babysitter's home about once a week if/when Clark can't be home. That's why I was SOOO proud of myself for going to train in the rain a week or two ago. I really want to stay on top of things so we don't get way off our timeline for finishing up. I'm not as good as I want to be either...so it will take us longer anyway, I just don't want to be working on important things in the snow. Plus we go out for training for 30-40 minutes a day + 10 min break time + drive time...so it's a big ordeal. A FUN ordeal, but time-consuming.

2) Patience and not allowing myself to be frustrated so easily - Boca gets things MUCH faster than Rosco. She's an easier trainee in many ways but I've also learned from past mistakes (so there is hope!) so that helps. But...then we have an off training day and I get very frustrated and impatient during the session and feel down about it. It helps to remember "off" days happen all the time and I had many with Rosco and we still came through just fine. I have to remember it's just ONE day and learn from what went wrong and correct it next time.

3) I train alone. I don't have a live trainer near me to help me hone my skills and point out needed improvements. Some days this is very frustrating too. I can tell that MY execution of a technique isn't quite right but I can only learn so much from print...I feel like I NEED someone who knows this method to critique me. Not having this live trainer to help me really hampered me with Rosco's training. While I had a mentor by email and phone and who watched a video of me training Rosco...it's not easy to get someone to video tape you regularly and...well...anyway I think that kept me from fully wrapping up Rosco's training. He got his CGC and Delta therapy certification, but he's not as polished as I'd like him to be. Now with Boca I have a training mentor about 4 hours away, but it's not realistic for me to make the drive for training help. She answers tons of questions by email though..which helps. Now I just need to find people willing to spend half an hour video-taping a training session!

4) It's been difficult FINDING those people to help with training. There are LOTS of distractions around...but there is a point where you need some planned distractions that involve people and or dogs. Planned distractions allow me to repeat an exercise as much as needed to really ingrain the lesson. Random people at parks aren't going to stay in place as needed :-) Sometimes I feel like I'm passing the buck by 'blaming' lack of help...but I need more help and most of my friends work full time and are busy as we all are. It's tough to find training help on a regular basis.

So those are my challenges and frustrations. And now Boca's going in to be spayed tomorrow so that puts us on hiatus for 7-10 days...boo.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I wish I didn't live all the way across the country.....I'd "baby sit" for your little cutie.

[Adina P]

Me too!

[Carol and Banjo]

It is a really challenge to "do it alone" for sure Adina. And "finding" willing, available people seems to be the biggest challenge. It seems like I spend so much time trying to come up with good training locations, good distractions and then fitting the session in between other daily events. And I don't have a baby to worry about!!!!

[Adina P]

But it will be sooooo worth it in the end :)

[BG and Gavin]

Gavin is 14 months old
- I need structure (a class) right now
- reliable recall to come inside when I don't have a treat in my hand
- paying attention to me with distractions (when other dogs are around)
- sitting to greet people when he is outside (does so inside and with people he knows but not strangers on the street)
- I would like to reduce my reliance on the prong collar, but there is about a 5% chance every walk that he will pull when he sees another dog and I need it for control, particularly in unfamiliar territory and at the dog park
- I feel like we are a long ways away from off-leash reliance which is a long term goal

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Yup, these are the really "hard things", especially the distractions and reliable recall when they're doing something they think is really fun. I hope you can find a trainer who you're really comfortable with. I think that's a big part of it.