MORE ABOUT THE POWER OF "DOING NOTHING"

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

A few months ago I did a discussion about how powerful I found "just waiting" to be with Murph.  Because he's excitable, giving commands with constant corrections for non-compliance wasn't the best training answer for him.  As an example, today it took us almost 50 minutes to get from the car to the dog park entrance with both boys.  There were dogs running and barking inside the park and that just set off both of my guys.  We got out of the car and just waited until they calmed down....which meant that Guinness had to stop crying and Murph had to lose that "stiff body".  Eventually Murph gave it up and just lied down and Guinness stopped the whining.  So we started to move forward.  Every time they got too excited, we stopped and just waited.  After 45 minutes we finally were able to walk in...it was reinforcement to them that "nothing good happens when your in that excited frame of mind".  This is something that our trainer has worked on with us for months.  Anyway here's a video that explains this philosophy way better than I ever could.  It could me my trainer saying these words.  What do you think?

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Well then if you have "all the time in the world", perhaps you can travel around and help some of us with training. ;-)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

HaHaHa Jarka.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

I take it as a YES.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Yes, Jane how about a trip to Ireland? on the pretext of 'training': )

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

We WILL definitely be back in Ireland (hoping for next year).

[Adina P]

I know.  I just hate that I can't do it.  It would be lovely to not have to be so quick to prevent kids being bulldozed by a speeding doodle.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We have this every time Evie come over.  She asks to be picked up. Usually in excitement situations, Gordie is the worst and incites the others to a frenzy, but with Evie, it is Ned!  We can put them in a stay while she comes in but as soon as they are released, they crowd her which pushes her around.  She is sooooo dog savvy but she doesn't like this excitement.

[BG and Gavin]

I think it is a two dog thing.  Gavin is super easy to control on stairs and at the door - he does not get excited at all....except...when we have Miley here.  Then the two race each other in and out and I have to whoa them up.

[Adina P]

It's JUST Boca.  She could be alone and she'd still reach the end of the yard in half a second.  By the time she's at the end of the yard, Rosco's gotten off the last stair.  He just doesn't care to rush unless there is something worth rushing for.  I guess for Boca a squirrel is always worth rushing for.  I remember Rosco chasing a squirrel in the past two years in our yard and he started but then half way he decided "neah...no point" and slowed way down long before he got to it.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

would Rosco run for his "birthday burger" or is he just a "I'll get there when I get there" type of guy?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

The only command the dogs know brooks no argument is the Wait one when am on the stairs. I broke my foot once on those stairs (dumb mistake on my part).  But, like yours, once they are released, they need an added step two.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I tried this stop and stand calmly thing yesterday when they started to act crazy on our walk.  It didn't really work for me.  They just took that opportunity to smell everything in the general area.  They enjoyed it and didn't seem to care that we weren't moving.  Ollie finally sat and waited but after standing there for almost 5 minutes with Cubbie sniffing everything and trying to eat bushes I gave up.