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Topic: Dog Training

Posted by: Christinap

Subject: Dog Training
Date: Jan 28 12

We have recntly taken on a young German Shepherd, Susie, in need of some training. Here is a quick synopsis of how it's going so far!

Week 1 - we have an appointment to see the behaviour consultant because Susie appears to have problems with strange men and other dogs. She promptly proves me a complete liar by laying down for the trainer to tickle her tummy and then flirting with every male dog in sight.

Later that class - she redeems my reputation by snarling at a completely inoffensive little terrier that gets in her way and offering to fight any dog who says she was in the wrong. Trainer takes her lead to show me how to correct her when she does this, she promptly pees all over his shoes.

Despite this we are allowed back next week.

Week 2. Trainer decides we will work the other side of the fence from the main class to get her used to working close to other dogs. After about 10 minutes of this Susie gets completely bored. As she is off the lead allegedly doing recall work she decides to jump the fence and join the main class. 20 minutes later we recapture her. At least two other dogs and their handlers are having quiet nervous breakdowns. Trainer decides she isn't quite ready for off the lead work yet.

Week 3 - It's raining, but a little rain doesn't stop us. Susie does exemplary heel work exercise. Does perfect sit and stay exercise. Does perfect recall. Is nice to the other dogs and people in the class. I feel this is too good to last. I am right. During second set of recall exercises she makes a break for it, finds the compost heap from the horses, rolls in it, comes back to the class and encourages all the other dogs to join her in a roll in the mud. Follows this up by coming to me when called and jumping at me joyfully. My jacket now covered in horse poo, straw, mud and gawd knows what else. Trainer points out that at least she came when called, which is an improvement.

Amazingly we are still allowed to attend classes.

Week 4 (this week). Trainer has decided that Susie gets too bored in a one hour class and she is better of with two half hours. Strangely the rest of the class seem to agree with this. For twenty minutes of the half hour she acts like a well trained dog before deciding that the agility equipment looks like fun. She fits through the tyre that she makes a run for, I don't. Trainer finally stops laughing long enough to suggest some tips on how to stop her suddenly making a break for it with me on the other end of the lead. I pick myself up out of the mud (it's raining again), thank him and say we'll see him again next week (twice) That wipes the smile off his face.



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165 replies. On page 4 of 9 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
veronikkamarrz I don't post a lot, but your 'wayward' child makes me laugh! Please keep us up to date. We love you and your fam-bam!:)

Reply #61. Mar 01 12, 7:29 PM

Christinap

Well, I didn't expect to be writing before training next week, however, this morning Susie discovered a new hobby - gardening. With the weather being so good I've been out in the garden the last few days, and as there was nothing semi lethal, like lawn mowers or hedge trimmers, in use this morning I decided she could come out with me.

First ten or fifteen minutes were fine. She chased the birds, played with her ball, happy as anything. Then she came to see what I was doing - weeding - digging she decided is good, and something she could obviously help with. In went the front paws and earth and plants were soon flying everywhere. I pointed out the error of her ways, filled in the holes and I'm sure that the replanted tulips will be fine. She then decided if she couldn't dig beside me she'd find somewhere of her own to do it - this turned out to be the middle of the lawn! Another hole filled in, turf stamped down. She sulked for a few minutes, before deciding that the problem was I had a trowel, she didn't. A quick steal when I put it down solved that problem. Return to hole dug in lawn to try to re-excavate it and bury the trowel. A 10 minute chase later she consented to part with the trowel in exchange for two gravy bones and a bonio. The handle is only slightly chewed. Once I sand down the handle to get rid of the splinters and re-varnish it it'll be good as new.

By this stage she is filthy, she's thrown earth all over herself, so I turn the hose on her and wash her down. She retaliates by shaking all over me - on balance I am the wettest.

She decides she is bored by gardening and goes off back to bird scaring and ball chasing. I carry on weeding, chucking the weeds into a barrow as I go. I come to the end and go to take the barrow to empty it into the compost, but it isn't as full as I expected. Still, I empty it and put it away. I've left the back door open in case she wants to go in, get a drink, whatever. I walk through the door into the kitchen, to be greeted by the sight of a big heap of weeds on the kitchen floor, and her standing over them grinning ear to ear. She'd been taking them out of the barrow and bringing them indoors - obviously thought I was putting them in the barrow to save.

Still, the kitchen floor is quarry tiled so it washes easily enough. I start trying to move the weeds, every one I pick up to take out she tries to grab - earth and bits of weed everywhere. Eventually I win, wash kitchen floor, and cabinet doors, and worktops. The ceiling will have to wait until I get the high steps out of the garage

Go indoors to sit down, husband says, did you have a nice time in the garden both of you? Anyone know a good defence lawyer.

Reply #62. Mar 02 12, 8:41 AM

REDVIKING57


Sounds like job for Horace Rumpole........

Reply #63. Mar 02 12, 9:33 AM

DivineMsDRL Too, too funny.

Reply #64. Mar 02 12, 10:13 AM

lesley153 Wonderful writing. Must remember to finish my coffee before I read it.

Reply #65. Mar 02 12, 10:30 AM

Christinap

Today was training day. Fine and sunny although a little muddy underfoot. We arrived, and things started off quite well. As we got out of the car two ladies who we havn't met before parked behind us and got out of theirs. Susie approached them, of her own free will, to say hello. She had a little bark, but nothing like as bad as she used to be. They both volunteer at the kennels and take the rescue dogs for walks once a week, so weren't the slightest bit phased by her barking, so that was a good and positive experience.

Trainer had decided that we were going to join a full class today. Us, three other shepherds, Susie's friend Fred, the rottie, and a Boston terrier. Apart from everyone with big dogs tripping over the terrier from time to time because we just don't look that low down things were going fairly well, no lunging at other dogs, a few barks, but only sort of half hearted, and we got to close to the end without any mud or other nastiness spoiling my jeans. Then came what I can only describe as the unfortunate incident.

We did a final recall She came in perfectly, sat, went down. Trainer said, make a fuss of her, I bent down. At that precise moment another owner yelled "Sit" at her dog. Susie shot up to the sit position. The top of her head connected with my chin with the force of a Mike Tyson straight jab. Apparently I went down like a tree being felled. She, of course, was completely unaffected. Anyone who has one will tell you a dog's head is very very hard.

I came too to find the entire class just standing there, Susie guarding me from everyone. Mud everywhere - head to foot, front and back. Got back to car, took off jacket, removed jeans, stuffed both into boot. Drove home in jumper and tights. Into shower, mud poured out of my hair.
Exmined bruise on chin, tested teeth, all still there.

Can't fault her on the sit, must work on the difference between me saying it and other people saying it though.

Reply #66. Mar 06 12, 5:09 PM

veronikkamarrz :) Love it! Dog's heads are very hard, and after contact they usually just lick and wag...It wasn't THEIR fault, after all! Great stories. Please continue!

Reply #67. Mar 06 12, 6:55 PM

Christinap

Later this morning we are taking Susie to her first car boot sale! This could prove interesting.

Reply #68. Mar 11 12, 2:50 AM

romeomikegolf

Kimber likes gardening as well Chris, but only when we aren't doing it. She's destroyed hundreds of pounds worth of plants in her time. Any bit of loose soil is fair game. As for car boot sales, she loves them. Loads of people around to make a fuss of her.

Reply #69. Mar 11 12, 4:05 AM

lesley153 ** laughs guiltily at the unfortunate incident" **
Glad you're OK, hope the car boot sale goes well.

Reply #70. Mar 11 12, 8:25 AM

Christinap

Well, we emerged unscathed from the boot sale, and, posibly more to the point, the boot sale emerged unscathed from us!

I have to view it as a success. She had a bark at someone walking across the car park when we arrived. We settled her down by walking her up and down the back of the back row of cars then jut got her closer and closer until we were actually in one of the rows. She wasn't too bothered by being surrounded by people. Had a bit of a lunge at one poor inoffensive little dog who happened to be too close for her comfort, but other than that, if they were five or six feet away was content to just have a good look at other dogs but that was all. She even allowed a complete stranger to come and give her a pat. Fortunately it was a woman who worked in a rescue kennel and she knew to give her time to settle and accept before approaching too close.

It was a very big step for her today. She has never been in a situation like that before. She wasn't nervous, in fact she seemed to enjoy it. We were only there for just short of half an hour, we could have stayed longer, but I think a good poitive short visit was better than pushing it to longer and maybe not finishing on a high.

Bet she manages to play up big time in training next week to make up for it!

Reply #71. Mar 11 12, 5:45 PM

Christinap

Susie had to go to the vet yesterday. Runny nose, cough, she has what it generally known as a cold. Poor little thing was quite miserable with it. So there we are in the vets waiting room. A lady comes in with a cat on a leash. Not a usual sight anywhere. Susie is curious, but unusually tentative, and puts out a paw - the damn cat bit it! She's a German Shepherd - does she retaliate - does she heck as like. She tries to climb up on the bench seat and hide behind mum. I end up on the floor tangled up in the lead just as the vet comes out to call us in - he thought it was funny anyway.

She does get her own back in a way though. When the vet takes her temperature she objects by sreaming loudly the whole time the thermometer is in. It was so loud. The vet said he'd never heard anything quite like it before.This so freaked out the cat it climbed up it's owner's legs using every claw it had to do so. Perhaps next time she'll use a basket like normal people.

Anyway, she's on anti-biotics for a week because of the cough and is on restricted exercise. She does seem to be feeling better this evening though, much perkier than yesterday so they must be starting to work.

Reply #72. Mar 18 12, 6:50 PM

Mommakat

I am sitting here Cris almost wetting myself. What a picture you painted. Hilarious! I had a turn at the Vet this past week with my dog. Some nice person threw a bait (food laced with poison) over our fence and she ate it. Poor animal suffered through someone's cruelty. All's well now after two visits and a horrendous Vet Bill.

Reply #73. Mar 18 12, 7:29 PM

lesley153 I wish Susie better - and you, and the cat, and the cat's owner!

Meg, that's an evil and unfathomable thing to do to an animal. I'm glad all is well now.

Reply #74. Mar 18 12, 8:07 PM

veronikkamarrz Did Susie get whatever it is from a fellow trainee, or what? Sounds like "Kennel Cough" unless there are any other symptoms. Love Susie's day to day stuff. Hope she's ok. :)

Reply #75. Mar 18 12, 8:30 PM

Mommakat

Thanks Lesley, we have our suspicions and will be vigilant in the future.

Reply #76. Mar 18 12, 8:48 PM

lesley153 Good luck identifying them, and I hope they get what's coming to them. Meant to say, there's no such thing as a vet bill that's not horrendous.

Reply #77. Mar 18 12, 9:11 PM

Christinap

Oh that is a wicked thing to do. I hope they get caught and I hope your baby is OK. You're right Lesley - no such thing as an unhorrendous vet's bill.

I think she did pick something up from one of the other trainees. I phoned this morning to cancel training for this week, don't want to spread anything and especially not round a kennel where they have puppies, and she said a couple of class have the same thing. They've cancelled training for two weeks to be on the safe side.

She's much perkier this morning. Eating almost normally, hasn't coughed at all, still got a runny nose and gets a bit tired though. Give it a couple of days and I reckon keeping her quiet will be as likely as stopping Titanic from sinking.

Reply #78. Mar 19 12, 5:38 AM

Mommakat

Glad to hear she is on the mend. The problem is they can't talk and tell you where it hurts etc. We can only do our best for them. Waiting to hear about the next session she attends. :)

Reply #79. Mar 19 12, 7:12 AM

Christinap

Well, I was overoptimistic in keeping her quiet for two days. Up with the birds this morning (I wasn't!) demanding a walk, food, another walk, more food, run round the garden, toys, treats, attention. MOH ticked her off and she turned big brown sad eyes on him as if to say "I've been ill you know", before resuming mayhem in whatever direction possible. When I had to do a flying dive to save hard rawhide chew colliding with TV screen at great speed (anyone want a new goalie for a football team?) I gave in and took her for a nice long walk. That has at least temporarily satified her as she is now curled up beside me sound asleep.

Reply #80. Mar 20 12, 8:53 AM

165 replies. On page 4 of 9 page(s). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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