the_gopher
Posted : 6/7/2010 12:09:02 PM
While I'm in favor of training, naturally , I've learned through Ari to do what works. We continually train (including leash walking), but we have had to incorporate a lot more tools (for instance she briefly wore a basket muzzle to keep her teeth out of the equation when teaching her how to and how not to interact with us). This came about after working with a trainer and a behavorist in our home. Finally, we all agreed we needed to use a muzzle. She didn't need it for long, basically once she got out of her pea brained puppy stage lol she was able to reel it in and focus more readily on us. Ari is very special to say the least. The biggest challenge we've had is increasing distractions to move things she does well indoors (she'll easily walk well on a leash indoors, in basically a perfect heel position) to outdoors. The problem is, when she's outdoors she's already over-stimulated to the point of being unable to focus on us and what we need her to be doing. Throw in my bad shoulder and it's a recipe for disaster. It also doesn't help that we take her off lead for the most part, due to the advantages of where we live. She needs her off leash run and swim time.
Her ability to focus has been continually improving. While I would like to say our persistence is the key factor in that, I don't really think it is. I honestly think it's because she's matured and is developing more of an adult brain! This morning's walk was a bit of a challenge, but then again the weather around here kept her cooped all weekend up so she was rearing to go. However, she volunteered a lot more of the right behaviors than I had expected and she was heavily rewarded for that.