Noël Ritter's Training Log

Love those sheep

2011-09-17T23:51:00.001-07:00

Ask your vet!

2011-09-15T23:36:00.000-07:00

I get asked a lot about vet type questions. I can certainly answer accordingly to my own personal experience, but why don't we ask our vets? I hear cynicism about vets sometimes, buy why? Have we really been that laid astray? Given lots of bum advice? I don't believe so. I think that we as pet owners or guardians if you wish, don't do our part in the relationship. We need to come to a vet visit prepared With written questions, notations of behavior if needed, and do your research. When you make an appt state that you need a few extra minutes for questions you might have.Do your part and train your animal to accept handling. If your pet might bite, let the staff know and train your animal to accept a muzzle.I believe I live in an area with great vets, we have lots to choose from.My elder dogs, Jiggy and Stella, got great senior dog check ups. Does the heart good!

tribute to my Cowboy

2011-09-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

When I started my training blog, it was about Yippie and Cowboy. Yip is now 5 and doing very well. She has gotten her CD and I hope to get her CDX soon. She is trialing at the advance levels of agility too. Cowboy has since passed away, about a month ago. It was devastating. We don't know what happened or why he got so sick, but he was sent home with love.
It was so heartbreaking, as he was the sweetest and dearest dog. We trained together all the time. Walking miles with sheep he and I. We had come so far he and I, the result of training one day at a time.
What were the issues he had as a pup that bothered me? Can't say, don't remember.
I wish he were here, I miss him terribly.
So now I have Chica, the rescue chihuahua, Yip's pups Crow and Gypsy. I will blog about them more later.

2011-09-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Why is today different? We all know why, GOD bless all those people who gave and are still giving their lives for us.
Dog training. Still going on, still loving it. Did a demo with Jiggy herding ducks at the local dog club RDOD day. She is almost 13 and is still amazing. What a blessing to have her in my life.
I am excited to start blogging again, I am going to commit to writing every day!!
I have some thoughts about different types of trainers and their and my techniques and philosophies.
So varied. Is that bad? What attracts you to a trainer and their methods?
Are they all wrong or all right?
I watched some trainers yesterday that are very different from my style. Were they wrong? No, not at all. They had passion, enthusiasm, a trained dog, they had focus.
I use a lot of food and clicker when I am training, some of these trainers probably never even held a clicker or use food for training. Right, wrong? Nope, I saw great trained dogs.
What is the difference? Choices, it is about choices. Also how you read a dog.
I do not believe in a "dominance" issue at all.
Tugs were used, that was great. The dogs had great value in these toys.
We have made dogs to be what we want and what we need. Some dogs are not seen as being needed and are thrown away. That is rescues heavy burden, shame on us.
Are dogs even close to being what their great ancestors were once. Probably not even close. They have become what we make of them.
I choose to do things in my own way, food, clicker, toys, and with that I find peace in my heart.
I like the difference in other trainers, I like their commitment and passion.
Today is a day of reflection. 10 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery, chemo, life given. Thank you, prayers are a blessing we give each other.

Today, different?

2011-09-11T09:06:00.001-07:00

managing time!

2007-04-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

I think things are settling down, or at least it is down to a dull roar.
I am loving school and am studying like mad. Anyone else out there middle age going back to school? It is quite an adventure to say the least.
The biggest concern I have is that my dogs do not lose the quality time they've always have had.
So I did an anxious dance for a little bit, but am feeling a bit calmer about everything.
I make sure that they have good edible bones for them and legal chews. So legal chews are chews that "I" have made a decision are safe for my dogs. Everyone needs to do their homework and decide what is safe. Easy to say that rope toys, stuffed toys, and the like are not safe for unsupervised play.
Unsupervised would be with you back to your puppies.
I actually had Friday off, finished first quater, and I got to sleep in and just hang out. The oddest thing happened in the morning when I was just sitting and reading. The dogs all laid down and slept. Not such a big deal with the older dogs, but I am talking Yippee and Cowboy!
Yip is so busy that I never thought the day would come when she would just lay there and chill. She was great. Starting to grow up a bit I'd say.
I am starting more formal training with Yip now agility and obed. She is such fun to work!
Cowboy is my husband's dog, but I work him too. He is that easy going.
My year of puppies is closing as they are becoming adults. I am so thrilled with them. Their temperments are delightful, very aussie-ish, and they are pretty to look at.
Noel

Where is my TIME?!

2007-04-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

doesn't it seem that time just flys by? That is because it does.
I am now going to school for human massage as well as finishing up my canine massage classes.
So where does that leave my dogs? I have to make time for them and because I will be done by late winter, I know it isn't forever. It still is stressful though. Some things have had to take a backseat, that would be cleaning the house.
I will cut back on some of my sheep, giving them away, and that will leave more time for my husband and my dogs.
So blogger world how do you make time for your priorities? Isn't it wonderful that we live in a country that we can even think about that? I am very grateful for this opportunity, even though I am middle aged, and plan to take advantage of it. Of course sleeping is not an option.

Whats really Important?

2007-03-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

So what is really important training for these young dogs? I think, and remember this is only
my opinion, that one of the first things we need to work on with our dogs is handling.
Can I touch the head, ears, mouth, feet, nails, tails, legs, back and so forth. All of this with no
teeth either!
If we were all given that pony we wanted for Christmas, than talking about handling would be a
moot point. We would well understand why we must do handling. You can't have an animal living in your house that you can't handle.
Cowboy and Yip went through a period where it was like "Nope don't think I am gonna let
you touch my feet or roll me on my back"! Cowboy would have little temper tantrums and Yip
would just be wild.
When this would happen, then all I would do was handling. I used lots of treats, meal times, rest
times, and so on to work on this. It would become an natural part of our relationship together.
If I reach for a collar, on the dog, and they pull away or shy away then that is my job for that week. Make collar touches, light grabs, connecting the leash, the greatest game going.
Lots of food for this.
I am still a bit surprised that people see using food as a cheapening of their relationship with their dogs. I don't think their wrong, I just don't understand that stance.
Maybe it has to do with the thought that is is a "reward" instead of a training tool. If we think
in terms of teaching our dogs a second language (remember they have their own language that
works quite well) and we are using food as a way of emphasis, then it might be better understood.
Thoughts blogger world?
Anyone reading this today, please keep Mac in your prayers. He is going to be okay it seems but he needs our thoughts.
Noel

Hello friends!!

2007-03-21T23:52:00.000-07:00

Well it sure has been awhile since I have blogged last. I was tickled that people were actually reading my blog, besides Robyn. She is the queen computer geek. She is also my friend!!
What is new? Well Yip is now 14 months old and Cowboy will be a year next month.
Never, ever get two puppies at the same time. It is hard work, but it has been worth it.
She is a brat, takes after my friend Robyn, and Cowboy is a dear.
So blogger world how are you all doing?
Let me know!
Noel

Happy Birthday!!

2006-08-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday is Robyn's birthday and she is such a princess! Anyone reading this might want to email my website and tell her so!!
So things have been quite intense around here. I am celebrating/watching/holding my breath/ as this is my 5 year anniversary. It was 5 years ago that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It wasn't a mild version, insitu, but quite agressive. Thank goodness it was caught in time. A day doesn't go by that a thought of cancer doesn't cross my mind. There are hours that I don't think about it, what a blessing, but rarely does a day go by without thinking something about it.
I have a wonderful life filled with friends, bratty Robyn, and my wonderful dogs.
So on to the pups!!!!!!!!! Yip is still a Yip in the but and Cowboy steals my heart daily. He is a charmer but going through the goofy stage. He is going through a bit of a fear period now, which I expected, with strangers. He warms right up after an intro. Yip takes a lot of exercise and focus. She is one driven dog.
Keep warm and happy folks and kiss the pups.
Go get those mamograms as life is just too much fun to miss.
Happy Birthday Robyn.
Love you,
Noel

Cowboy

2006-07-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

Photo compliments of Adeanna Hume. Thanks for the GREAT photo, Adeanna!

Yippee manipulates!!

2006-07-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

You always hear someone say, my dog just does it so they get a cookie. Oh right of course they do, isn't that great?!
This AM I had Yip in her playpen so Cowboy and I can spend time together and train. He can now do a down, stand, comes very nicely but that will change when he becomes a teen. What a cutie he is. I am keeping them separate quite a bit now as they will definitely bond too well. It is quite a bit of work having two puppies, but I am going to give it 100%. It isn't for the weak at heart though.
Anyways back to Yip. She has brought me a metal article, dumbbell, leather article, paper and a piece of cardboard, and each time she got a cookie. I think that is brilliant! She tries to take paper out of the trash next to my desk while I am sitting there, but that is just cheating! No cookies for that.

cowboy's pictures!

2006-07-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Dakota you did such a great job on those pictures. Where is that blue ball from? I swear that is not one of mine, did you swipe it from some poor puppy?
He sure looks sweet in those pictures. Not all slobbered on from Yip.

Silence is whatever it is!

2006-06-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

Can you guys hear this? Nothing right? Well that is Yip at the moment, quiet. I think we've turned a corner on her barking or yipping. Her name is Yippee-Kai-Yay
not Yippee go bark.
Dakota wants pictures of the new guy, Cowboy. Dakota has to tell me how to make my camera work and then put it on this blog. My camera got put on timer and we can't figure it out. I hate this digital camera. It has buttons made for people with
pencils for fingers!! I hate it!! Maybe I'll write the company and tell them so. Maybe they wont care.
Cowboy is in his crate and Yip is in the playpen. Everything is quiet and I am loving it. How people let their puppies run around the house all day, is beyond me. I know, or I think I know, that people feel guilty for penning or crating their dogs/puppies. Oh come on, how about them eating your house down? How about your sanity for a couple of minutes? It keeps them safe and you get some quiet time.
Cowboy doesn't like being grabbed by the side of the neck, I use the term grabbed
loosely, so what am I doing about it? Cookies for grabs, you betcha.
He is a little sweetie pie that boy is, and Yip steals my heart every single day.
The older guys are busy growling and teaching the new baby manners, that is so nice.
Hey anyone want to join our fat blog? We haven't posted anything in awhile, I believe it is Dakota's and mine, and I have not looked at a scale. I hate dieting, but I hate being over weight too. Oh well, I'll think about it tomorrow.

puppies and more puppies

2006-06-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

I must have been dreaming puppies, cause they're blooming all over the place!
Bad news on Cowboy, he climbed over the playpen. Not once, but twice. I caught him mid climb with his little paws in the grooves. He was happy as a clam going up the side to escape. One thing about Cowboy, he escapes to be with you.
Yippee escapes to get lincoln logs to retrieve for you.
Yip is still, and will be for a long time, on 100% food recall. 5 or 6 pieces of food while I am telling her "good Come"! Probably will do that with Cowboy too.
The older dogs are spending time teaching him how to respect his elders, and I butt out.
Stella splits him from the other dogs all the time. It is so interesting to watch the calming signals. She also will correct him, muzzle correction, when he gets too close to things that are not dog allowed. Why didn't she do that with Yip and the table? Oh I forgot that Stella chewed a bit on it too.
I love the name Cowboy. So cowboyish, along with Yippee. I sound like a rodeo announcer.
At the moment all things are quiet, Cowboy is now in a crate for a nap and Yip is in the playpen.
I worked with Cowboy on down and a release word, plus a target plate. Yip was worked on stand and stacking.

Yippee's new brother!!

2006-06-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

Yes we have a new puppy! He is a black tri, pictures to come, and we named him Cowboy. I won't start a separate log for him, but combine the two. How could we not train Yip and Cowboy together? For that matter all 5 dogs!!
That is it, no more dogs for me. I have had as many as 7, but I could no more handle that today than fly to the moon.
With Calamity being 9 and Jig being 7, I am ready for 2 pups to train. Whom am I trying to convince?
Yip is almost 6 months now and is a Yip in the Butt!! What a pistol she has been lately, without the new puppy being here, and so full of herself.
Not coming when called, barking her head off when she is contained, not settling down. What every adolescent puppy goes through.
So why haven't I updated her Blog? I have been too tired, but things are settling down. Here is how I've handled it. More training!! More food, more rewarding and using the word "come" only. So I would say, "Yip Come" walking backwards and praising her. Good Come, Good come and feeding her the entired time.
This girl needs exercise. Not forced exercise, but walking and exploring. What anything alive and a pet needs. When she is tired, Voila! she sleeps. Many a wise trainer has said that.
COWBOY! Pockets full of cookies and I am training him already. He is a much more centered pup than Yippee was, more mature. Food and clicker for everyone. The adult dogs love this, they get clicked and rewarded too.
Back to teenage pups. Yes there have been times I've wanted to pull my hair out! In two weeks though things have calmed down quite a bit. Puppies are a ton of work if you want the adults you've got in mind.
I was thinking the other day about how when I was 18 I made decisions for the adult I am now. I sure don't appreciate that! So I look at my pups and think about the adults I want and to make sure I train accordingly. I guess I want brats.

Roller skating season!

2006-05-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Remember when you were a kid and it just became roller skating season, or jump rope season, or jacks? No one came and told you, it just was.
That is the reason I like Aussies, Australian shepherds, so much. When you want to do something different, they're game for anything.
I have never said, well I can't do that cause my dog doesn't like that activity. I just do what I want and the aussies raise their paws in agreement.
They certainly aren't for everyone. The Yipster is a busy puppy, but it isn't solo busy. She wants to be with me in the thick of things. If she isn't properly worn out, she is going to yell about it. It doesn't take too long, just some brushing time or play time but it has to be together. I really like that too. I want her to be with me as well as my other two girls Jiggy and Calamity. If you don't want your dogs to go to the bathroom with you, don't get an aussie.
I am going to start some ground work with the Yipster in regards to herding. Elsie has some basics to work on such as back, moving off a crook or rake, can't use the flag with Yip as she thinks it is the best toy in the world!
I am going to click Yip for turning her head away from the rake, she is very motivated with the clicker, and then eventually for squaring away from it.
That should be fun.
Oh she got hold of my glasses this morning, I am blind as a bat without them, and I started to give chase with a firm "leave it" command. When I realized that all I had to do was put out my hand, she brought them right to me. I have got her now retrieving her metal article and plastic dumbbell so why not glasses too?
It worked, but I don't want to encourage glasses retrieving.

Yip retrieves!

2006-05-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

I have taught Yippee to retrieve a dumbbell to my hand and a metal dumbbell to my hand too. Not a big deal, but I did it using a clicker to shape the behavior and with no words. Plus she is just shy of 5 months. I think that is a big deal.
Three days ago she would go out and pick it up and then drop it because I clicked and that meant the end. Slowly I kept withholding the click until she got closer and closer. Now she knows to drop it in my hand.
Did I say "she knows"? Heaven forbid! I need to teach it everywhere I go for her to generalize it to that extent.
I am not asking for a sit or a long hold or anything like that. Just watch it and go when I release plus bring it back to my hand.
This has really been fun to teach.
I am planning on next week tying a couple of metal articles to a board and start teaching her scent discrimination. Too much fun.
Again, she is such a bright puppy but a puppy non the less! She is not coming when interesting things are going on, she has temper tantrums, and she tortures the older dogs. They're aussies though and it wouldn't look good if they were bugged all the time.

Updates

2006-05-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share updates on general progress of the Yipster.
At 4.5 months of age she is mouthing gently and does understand the word "gentle". That was probably one of the most important words I could think of, as I have grandkids. The grandkids have to be gentle with her too.
I, and anyone else at the moment, can go over her feet, body, teeth open pretty for the judge, and handle her head. She must be calm when being handled.
We are working very heavy on lots of play and retrieving. I like a dog to retrieve and play. Good way to work out stress.
Come when called, using a long line anytime I am outside and I need her to respond now. I am using it anyways just to reinforce the word "come" and she gets good food lots of praise when she gets to me.
Downs, sits, stands but not on command, stays very quickly, QUIET that is another story, housebreaking is going fantastic. She rarely has an accident, in the last couple of weeks, and we are all reading signs of when she needs us to let her out.
Agility table, loves it and will stay on it without my saying stay. I give her lots of food and vary my position when she is on it. Tunnels are great. Any piece of wood on the ground she gets rewarded for balancing on it. Trotting through a PVC ladder, hitting a contact board and working on retrieving a metal article.
Whew I am busy with this puppy, and then I have Calamity and my wonderful Jiggy to train too.

2006-05-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

So Yip is that the age that "come" means go! And keep going! I kept saying that this was going to come on and I would expect it. I am and it is quite normal. How am I handling it? More toys coming out, more games, more food, and a long line attatched anytime I am taking her out and need her to respond right now.
She is such a cutie, and a bright as can be.
I am using better food, cheese, to send her in her kennel, crates, and playpen. I reward often and then release her again.
Teething on anything. So lots more legal type chew toys. Nothing left alone with her that she might shred, rope, and swallow. Very dangerous as it doesn't break down in a dog's gut.

alligators!

2006-05-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

I don't have alligators, but Yippee's teeth sure feel like them. She is teething something fierce,I have proof on my furniture.
shame on me for not having enough chew toys to keep her mouth busy. Housebreaking is going quite well. Our accidents are few and far between now. If she has an accident, it is because we missed her signals that she had to go out.
Right now she is sleeping, so be quiet, at my feet attatched to her leash. I am keeping her with me to keep her out of trouble. It has helped her to calm down too.
She is a busy puppy, which I like, and so smart. We are working on metal scent articles. We started of with a nose touch and now she is up to putting her mouth on it and holding it shut. We are at the count of one maybe two. All food motivated, of course. Playing baby agility games, toys and food motivated rewards.
If you have puppy stories to share with me, please go ahead!
They're so much fun, but a lot of work.
Cookies, treats, toys, all day long!!

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

2006-05-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

So that is what I am thinking about, how does my puppy grow? She is growing so fast and is so bright. I have to say that the thing I so love about her is she makes me laugh. She also makes me think. How do I fix this? How do I reinforce this?
Am I getting her out enough? Am I getting her to meet enough people, be handled by enough people? Why do I care? I care because what she is going to become. A dog of the world. That is a bit dramatic, but it is true. She is out and about with my other two aussies and she has to be a part of my life. I am outgoing and involved in many things, and they come as part of the package.
I still watch Yip for interactions with other people and kids. Is there any nervousness, anxiety, tempertantrums? Can everyone handle her paws, body, head, mouth? Yip is doing pretty good on all fronts. I am very proud of this pup. I am also working on her putting her mouth on a metal scent article. She loves that game. All she has to do is put her mouth on it wherever I put the article. She, of course, gets a cookie each time.
Want your dog to come? Want your dog to recognize their name? Put a cookie, a really good cookie, on it. I am still at 100% reward for coming, name recognition, leave its, body handling too.
I just read that the dog whisperer is getting sued. How sad. What is sad to me is that we turn our animals over to others to fix them. Wait a minute, you turned the animal over to fix a problem. Didn't you find out how it was going to be done?
Books. What am I reading right now? Bobbie Anderson's puppy book and Ian Dunbar's After you Bring Your Puppy Home, I think that is the title. I have just about everyone of Ian's books and I love them. I think he is brilliant. It certainly feels right to me, and that is what it is about. What feels right to you?
Some days I think, what the heck am I doing? Then other days, it is peaceful kingdom.
Rowdy. Coming up on two years without my boy Rowdy. I miss him. He was such a big part of my family's life, he just left a big empty space. Yip will never know him, but the dogs he has trained are training her. Good girl%

more blog stuff

2006-04-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I have blogged. Kind of funny that I worry about spell check when I don't think anyone reads this thing. Doesn't matter, it is good record keeping for me.
I think it is very interesting that people make comments about how many toys Yip has. Some people have made comments that she is spoiled. I cannot give her enough enrichment toys. Boxes, things that shake, move, squirm away, blankets, chew toys.
She has a laundry basket that I pretty much bring with me and she parks herself in it to play or chew on her toys. We go through her box together and we play with them all. Anytime I am playing with her, I am training her. I am still feeding her one meal a day out of my hands. I now ask for downs, waves which she does either paw, spins and turns or I am calling them left and right. We are working on waits, with either stands downs or sits. I do a 100% food reward for "leave its", "come".
Today I went to breakfast with friends and took her with me too. She was walked by the water and visited people. She got special treats, freeze dried liver, for meeting new people. She got to walk across railroad ties, and got lots of treats when cars or motorcylces went by.
Kids on skateboards! Excellent, she got treats for each one that went by.
It is very tiring raising a puppy, but I want her to enjoy people and to enjoy being handled by people.
that's this today!!

Bestest toys!!

2006-04-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yippe has so many toys, and she uses them! Anything she can chomp her teeth on are her favorites.
I found a wonderful toy that is just genius. She loves it and I can play with her while I am using a chuck it ball toy for my other aussie.
Some of my friends say it is only a lunge whip with a piece of sheep fleece tied to the end of it, but isn't that a great idea? I would never have come up with that.
Yip loves to chace it and I can control her twisting and turning.
I think I paid something like $20.00 for it, but it is a great deal.

More Yip news

2006-03-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Yippee is now 11 weeks old. She is such a mischief maker and I have to say, she makes me laugh. I don't know what she'll be like when she grows up, but she makes me laugh now and that is wonderful.
Housebreaking is insufferable slow. She kind of has a clue, but not really. My expectations are that she'll be housebroken some day.
Her mouthing is quite a bit better, she knows what "uhuh" means. If you make a loud scream or puppy sound, she would come back stronger. Kind of like, "now I've really got a game going". Some dogs that works for and others it doesn't. Doesn't mean the method is at fault only means try something else.
Lots of good dog trainers out there, lots of common sense too. We need to apply it is the only problem.
Puppy ate, puppy drank, don't let them have free roam of the house. Have a young child and an exuberant puppy? Don't let them be alone unsupervised. Someone is going to get hurt, mouthed, and that could be the puppy or the child. Common sense. It is tiring, but we put them in these situations and it isn't a Disney movie. They have real teeth and need to use them. Part of who they are and what they're growing through.
Yippee is doing very well with handling now. Every day I go over her. I also put her up on a grooming table and work her there too. I lay her on her side and work on her relaxing. I handle her mouth, ears, feet and so forth. I am working the dog that I want as an adult.
Come is always rewarded , food and praise. She is now being a tad independent and exploring more on her own. I want her to do that too, so I pick and choose when I call her. I want her to figure things out. Step on a wobbly board, climb a limb that's on the ground, attack a dandelion. So I make sure I have time to do this. If I have to be some wheres soon, I don't let her roam.
Leash and collar work is going very well. Again, I don't want to do the bucking bronco routine. It isn't for me. So I have been applying tension and she gets a click and food as soon as she checks in. I had her in class last night to demo. Someone said their puppy was like that at that age too, so they thought they didn't need to train it. We never, or I don't want to, take any training for granted. Just because she is doing it now, doesn't mean she truly knows it. It has to be trained in lots of different conditions and environments.
Crate training is going so much better now that I cover the front of her crate. We have gotten through the screaming baby times, thank goodness.

Puppy days

2006-03-23T15:02:00.000-08:00

I am tired. Puppies are exhausting! Kind of like raising kids. You have to be attentive and in the moment. You can't let anything go to chance.
Yip just ran through the house and I had to make sure she didn't have to go outside. It was a false alarm, the cat was in front of her and needed attending to. The cat baits her all the time. They have a good time together, even the other 4 dogs are respectful of the cat. He does have his claws and knows how to use them.
Worked on Yip walking on leash and wearing her collar. That is going very well. Tons of opportunities to work on the come command too. We walked by the ducks and she likes to make them move, good girl. I put a handful of her food in my pocket to always work on the come command and her name. She responds to me, big praise and food.
I always like to think of how important is it for her, or any of my dogs, to respond to their names and the word come. So on a scale of 1 to 10 and 10 being the most important, it is a 10 to me that they listen and respond. So when I am praising them and rewarding them I make it sound like a 10.
Took some pictures today of her and now I have to figure out how to put them on.
ROBYN!!
Noel

more Yip news

2006-03-22T06:06:00.000-08:00

We are all really trying to find out who our puppies are before it is too late. Too late for what? To have the perfect dog, the perfect competitor, the dog we refer back to when they're gone as "they were the best dog ever?"
It is a journey for me, and it is the journey that we need to live and experience. Aren't I just too full of myself this morning? I will chalk it up to being sleep deprived. Of course I want to do this just perfectly, but I know I am human and I'll probably repeat some of the things I always repeat. Which isn't too bad as long as it isn't hurtful.

Yip was wonderful yesterday with her feet being handled. She got over that temper tantrum pretty quick. I need to make sure it is a part of my handling every day. Touch feet, hold her gently on her back, go over her body, handle her mouth. I even name what I am doing. Ears, feet, mouth, and so forth.
Today I am going to work on the touching game (for lack of a better description) and collar with leash. Always the basics too. Lay down for a cookie, stand and look, sit for meals. This is done quickly and with luring. She is 10 weeks old and life is fun and full of adventures. It is exhausting raising a puppy!!

Oh, a comment about toys. When I ask someone about the toys they use for their puppies, they always say their dogs have a ton of toys. Yippee has a big bag full of toys. She plays with them with me. I sit down, I have old knees too, folks, but you gotta get down to play, and we go through the toys together. We squeak toys, throw them, I turn her with them. We play together. I want her wanting to play with me, I am the keeper of all really cool, fun things!

Again, she is not allowed to have certain types of toys unsupervised - such as rope toys, or anything she can rip and eat. These things do not digest and she can get very ill. Seriously so. I use Kong stuffed with food, and nylabones.

Yippee at 9 weeks old

2006-03-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

Yip and more collars at 10 weeks old.

2006-03-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

Working more with Yip and her collar. I can get her to wear it for long periods of time without a fight. She will let me do collar grabs for cookies and is working on the stand and look word with collar grabs. I am clicking each time and giving food. This works very well with Yip. Anytime I have food in my hand, hidden under my thumb, and I hold my hand flat to the ground she will go down. I am now using a down word with the behavior. I click each time she goes down. I used to click when she started to shift down, I now click when she is all the way down. I have been doing this for just a couple of sessions. I say nothing at all until she gives me a behavior. She has no clue what the words mean so why use them yet? I want to capture the behavior on a regular basis and then I will give a word for the action.
I have also, today, started attatching a leash to her collar. A very light leather leash. I give her food right away, this is her lunch, and then start applying tension. When she looks at me or my direction, I click and give her food. The session is very, very short and ends on a success. I don't want to play bucking bronco with her.
She is getting the game, in the house with one older dog around so am not ready to take this on any road.
Temper tantrums. Well Yip decided last night she did not want her feet wiped or touched. She had a fit. Guess what we are working on all the time now? Cookies for paw grabs, grooming , and handling. She has no choice but to let me do all these things. It is part of living with us.
The crate is going better when it is covered. Again she has no choice but to accept the crate.
Whew it is a lot of work having a puppy!

More Yippee news

2006-03-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

Little Yip is teething big time! Yikes those teeth hurt. I have a huge bag, almost resembles a diaper bag, full of toys for her. There are hard chews, kongs and such, that I play with her with. I am constantly reminding her gentle, not reminding but teaching, and praising what I consider gentle. I am still feeding her a meal out of my hand plus lots of treats too. Again each time I give her something, I say gentle. I am putting a word on a behavior. It will sink in, no pun intended, when she doesn't press down with her teeth. Tons of repetitions.
What a sweet and fun puppy. I was thinking today that if you don't like sitting down and playing with an active puppy, don't get one. Bottom line, know what your getting and know what you want. I want high energy and playfulness. I got that in spades with Yip. The other dogs are starting to play with her now, and they're being quite gentle with her. They correct her when necessary and are quite fair about it.
I am using the clicker to mark her turning her head when I say her name, food always following, and I am also clicking her for going to the bathroom outside. She still has some accidents, but that is life with a puppy.
Management is the key for training. The crate is just that, her crate. She sleeps in it, takes naps in it, and has quiet times in it. Anytime she is out, she is being watched by someone. I don't let her get into trouble, but I encourage her to investigate her environment.

Collars and Toys

2006-03-13T10:59:00.000-08:00

Today, I thought I should begin introducing Yippee to a collar. I first made sure all the other dogs were exercised and then put them away. Yippe had a short play session and potty time. I filled my pockets with cookies, and headed out into the sunshine for collar intro.
I put some of her kibble on the ground while I attatched her collar. I then fed her from my hand, I feed her one meal a day from my hand, as I touched her collar. I am praising her the entire time and talking about the collar. Then I take it off and repeat it again. Putting food on the ground, hooking up her collar, putting my hands on and around the collar while feeding her from my other hand.
Toys and Yippee. Yip is very toy motivated. She loves to play with them and interact with you at the same time. Raising a pup is like raising a child, and I am tired!
I have lots of chew toys around and use them to work on biting gently, no fingers, and to practice the come command. I am always naming the behavior. Come, look, wait, and so forth.
I never let her keep rope toys or stuffed toys unsupervised. They can pull of strings that don't digest and can cause serious problems.
Crate training is very important to me. She sleeps through the night, oh yes it is great, and doesn't complain too much.
The first day was rough and I kept repeating, "good dog trainers don't let puppies out when they cry"! My instinct is to run and let her out, anything to stop the screaming. It only lasted a short time, and then she came out. I throw cookies and toys in there for her to get them.
She sleeps only in her kennel.

My new puppy, Yippee!

2006-03-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

I am creating this blog (what a word) specifically, as a training journal for
my new puppy, Yippee.
What can I say I have done so far? She is 8 weeks and I have had her for
a week.
My pockets are always filled with treats of some sort and whenver I say
her name, she gets a cookie. When we go outside for her to potty, I click
and treat. I am using a clicker with her to mark the word/behavior.
The other big thing I am always working on, is bite inhibition. Whenever
she bites down we scream, puppy scream, and use the word "gentle".
Everyone in the family is doing that. It is the most important thing that we can do. Train her to use a gentle mouth.
Play, play and more play. I am always playing with her. Handling her feet, mouth and body. Always praising her.
She retrieves naturally so I am making note of that. She is also very toy motivated - which I love.
I am always looking for anything that concerns her so we can go check it out together. I encourage her bravery to check out things on her own, coke can in tall grass that has now become her favorite toy, praising all the way.