Fetch

This is my sock and these are the little strings mom trys to move me with.  Was not working for us.

Each week mom asks the trainer Jason Davis from Karma k9 one thing to improve on.  It was the hold because we missed some steps and Jason thought we were farther along.  That is why pulling on those strings on my socks made me crazy to shake my head and play like with the tug.  It was supposed to be gradual.

So I heard a dvd today with someone talking about it.  Mom must have pulled out the Michele Ellis Retreive training or something.

We worked with Jason a bit and all is clear what we are to do so I am sure we will this week.

Before Jason came over to us we played with the muzzle but I got a little confused because I only learned click treat.

She put the muzzle on me but when she said yes instead of the clicker I was surprised because we only trained the muzzle with click treat.  Today it was "Yes" treat.  But that didn't take me long to realize Yes treat..

I did a down stay and some good some bad so we will work on that I am sure all times.

For our bite work exercises we started out with the defence of handler.  I am getting it better and better each time and we are making strides.  Mom still is not sure when it is time for me to bite but heck I do cause I am facing the decoy following us. 

Im not sure what you call these just yet but I run loose and chase the decoy and he trys to get away from me.  I was not as fast today because I am starting to think to get to that bite and when and where. 

When I get to that part that I don't have to think and just do it watch out decoys cause Ima catch ya....  French Ring and I would think with Mondio is the dogs need to think more.  In Schutzhund they just bite on the middle of a sleeve.  In knpv they show the dogs were to bite.  In these ring sports where you bite is where you bite and it can always be different.

I have to run farther to mom for the whistle now and one time I came fast for the tug bite after biting on the suit that mom was surprised and did not have a hand on the leash.  Once I realized this I droped the tug and ran back to bite on the bite suit.  Mom said, nope and the decoy kinda said no also so I did not bite him and proceeded onto some victory laps.  Finally after many Cali Comes, I came back to mom and I know she was a little mad but she was happy to see me come back to her.

I felt a few nudges when she called me but did not understand them.  Well no fun running on my own so I came back.



So off to the start we went again.  I love to chase the decoy...

Training

I love my training.  We train every day.....  Can not wait until tomorrow to train with Jason Davis from Karma K-9 cause he has lots of great ideas ...

It is funny because there is no one way.  Mom watched Michale Ellis dvds and really likes them.  We went back to them now....

I go crazy with those strings on my sock.  It is like play a way and I tug and i pull but missing the entire exercise because of it. 

Now I learn the way hold no matter what it is.

My Sock

This is my sock that I have to bring back to mom.  She put these little yarn braids on them and now I have to sit with it in my mouth.  I am confused.

She saw the trainer do it and it was a much differnt picture than mom and me. 

I was taught "Hold" early in life but for some reason can't get the 2 words together.  sit and hold.  and then when holding go from a sit to moving with still holding.............  omggggggggg

A great day...

Today I went to learn more things for French Ring.  Me and mom worked on a few things on our own while the trainer worked with another dog.  We did our touch pads but I am still a little slow or hesitant or impatient to do it the 3rd time.  Finally I did and yippeeee,,, the toy...

Mom took me to the other part of the field and played with the 2 balls.  Maybe it was more then we should have done because I was tired for the rest, but it was fun anyway.  I think this part of the training is more for mom to learn so I just went through the motions cause I was a little tired and hot.  Those will be our new fun games to do during the week.  How cool is that.

I know I am past my limit in the heat when my desire for the toy is low.  It is hot here. 

Then for the bite work.  Mom talked to the trainer before today to tell him she wanted me to have more fun.  Ommgggggg,,,,, and we did.

I did a little defence training.  I think mom is not sure when I am to go and does not want to correct me so is not consistant with that.  Today she learned the when I am to bite without looking back. 

After that I got to do free bites.  No bungie, no line, no cones, no barrel, just run loose and bite.  My decoy had fun trying to get out of my way but I am more confidant to just bite and not think where to bite because I already learnd that.

I loved the chase and going to get faster.  Head on I barrel in but the little moves to make me faster are so cool and I will get faster...

I was pretty hot after the bite work but the problem with that is I am getting used to going swimming.  Hope we stay there for a long time or I will miss that.

Mom takes me to the pond near where we train and throws my orange floating dumb bell.  I love to jump in and swim.  The water is airated and constantly moving so not so many misquitos breeding and the water feels cool to me.

I hope Milt comes back to Jacksonville and finds a good home for his Ultimate air dogs pool.

One year old today

So much has happened since I last came on here.  That's me alright sitting pretty with my blue ribbon on.  I won in the Jr division at an ultimate air dogs show.  How cool is that.  I am sure that was a few months ago as the pool has been moved elsewhere.

Mom and I have been working really hard these last months.  We still go to Sunday morning training with our French Ring Sport friends and during the week we do so many cool things.  We even have been going into stores with our service dog in trainig vest on. 

Most days we train at moms work.  Sometimes inside and some times out side.  She got me a basket to start me to put my feet in it and I get a bite and she plays with me and is teaching me when to let go and go back to the basket.

And also a real fun new toy but I can only play retreive with mom and this fun toy.  I even know who rolled it up for mom cause I smelled him on the socks. 

This is our new retrieve toy for French Ring.  They told me it could be a sock rolled up, a glove or a gasses case.

And ofcourse some fun bite work and that is going really good.  I am just starting to bite the upper body.  Mom has to go and get a barrel for me to jump over. 

It is more serious these days but mom still keeps it fun for me and her.  I try real heard but being my age it is not so easy. 

Training on Sundays

On Sundays we have been meeting with some of mom's friends and training friends.  When it was our turn for obedience when we got to the field we were greeted by mom's friend Brian.  He said he is our new mentor to get us real trained.  I had fun ofcourse but this was serious time.  Sit means sit and I better do it or else I feel that little pinch.  I got treats on the touch pad for going back and forth from one to the other and rewarded with the tug for the sit and staying.  I am now learning to stay in a sit and a down.  If I get up mom says Nope and puts me back in my place.  We will practice this all week and I know I will get it quick.

Today Brian was feeling better and even put the suit on for me to bite.  Wow he is a tall guy.  I was put on a bunjie cord and when I got to the end it got tighter but the leg I was to bite was in reach.  Except for one time I just hit the end and went to bite but did not close my mouth fast enough and I went tumbling over cause that bunjie is like a rubber band and pulled me back.  The next time I did not miss. 

Before I go for the bite I now have to stay in a down and look at mom until she tells me the word "attack" and off I go.....

We did a second session and this time mom's friend Jason had the suit jacket turned backwards and I got to bite on the upper body.  That thing is heavy but I carried it as far as a could after the bite.  We did this a few times and each time I won that jacket and got to carry it.  When I was done I almost made it all the way to the car carrying that jacket but it was really heavy so I had to let it go..  awwww,,,,

A Great Sunday

Sorry no picture or video today but none was taken.  But I had a great day anyway because training is so much fun for me. 

On Sunday Afternoon mom took me to the spot where we meet our friends for a fun time of training.  I did my touch pads, back and forth but still a little slow.  I get off fast because mom has that good ole tug toy for me to bite but getting there I am a little slow.  I have not yet figured out if I get there fast I get off fast and all the quicker it is to get my bite tug and play. 

We worked a little on our down stay and I think that will work out in time.  Just time and paitence

Then for some more fun tug play.  Mom holds my collar and throws the tug over the jump.  She lets me go fly over the jump and then runs over to where I am and we play tug.  How much fun is that.  I love to jump and love to play tug.  Kinda like the two birds with one stone theory here.

We did our heeling with the tug under moms arm to get my pretty little head looking towards her.  We are making progress with this but it takes time and paitence and me and my mom seem to both have this.

After me and mom did our thing the others took out their dogs to play.  I had to wait in the crate in the car.  I am starting to be more paitent and quiet while waiting.

Then comes my turn for the bite work.  Yiiipppeeee,,,,,

I have to get all dressed up for this with my harness, prong collar, flat collar and mom brings all her tools.  When I got to the field they added another prong collar on me for one of the exercises but I was a little figity with this so mom took it off of me for now.  We never did do the exercise that needed those two collars so it never went back on that day.

Today they had this long bungie cord tied to a tree.  They tied my harness to it and made me lay down.  I am not allowed to go bite until mom tells me "attack" the word used for my bite work.  I am also learning not to go to the field like a barking fool and to have some composure about my self and heel with my mom.  I think mom likes this better also because I am not pulling her arms out of the sockets dragging her to the field.

Anyway, I have to look at mom from my down stay and then she tells me to "attack" and away I run for the bite.  Being tied to the bungie lets me sping into the bite and the decoy can have me bite where he wants. 

Well today as I was biting a big fluffy dog came to join me on the other leg.  I did not know what to do or what the other dog was going to do so I stopped biting.  But the other dog was taken away and again I resumed my bite work. 

We did this bungie attack quite a few times and each time I got better with my down stay and look at mom and she got better with when and what to say to me.  I think this day was a success all around.