Pixel has reached the ripe old age of 5 months. She's had lots of adventures including several agility related trips:
As a result, we've been able to work on her greeting friendly people - I'd say by now she's in the hundreds. She's met just as many dogs, I'm quite sure. Since its USDAA, most of her "friends" are border collies, which has created a revere for the breed that I'm now trying to counter by seeking out as many non-BCs as possible. However, on our walks around trial sights, she ignores non-BCs, but when we pass a BC she starts to pull towards it, like she wants it's autograph or something. She really needs to meet and play with more black faced dogs, although she did quite love Nettle, a black port water dog. She needs more. She needs more smushy faced dogs, too.
At trials, we work on not reacting to activity in the ring, focusing on the Momma, and playing ringside. She's doing very well with that. Also, walking on her Gentle Leader, and playing with her gentle leader on. We do many, many, many recalls in all sorts of environments.
Hotels, she gets to work on being quiet in her kennel. Pottying on a leash. Being quiet in a hotel. Again, since she's been doing it since she was 14 weeks old, it's becoming just the way things are done.
Not every thing is hunky-dory. We have work to do on house training. I think our new foster, Bunny, is a big contributor to this. She's a party animal, and Pixel forgets to go potty when she is outside, and too busy to tell us when she is inside. We'll keep working on it. The big thing is to continue to let her outside frequently, and alone if possible.
She's got lots of work to do on shaping. Her hand touches are awesome. She knows a couple tricks, but they are not 100% on cue yet. She needs more on hind end awareness - 4 feet in a basket and backing up. I'd like there to be more meaningless tricks going on just to strengthen our relationship, teach her that failure is no big deal, and create a huge work ethic. Ami and I have a goal to teach her a trick each a week. So, hopefully that'll accelerate things a bit.
Ami filmed where she's at with some of her skills, it's cute...enjoy!
- USDAA North Central Regionals - August
- USDAA Central Regionals - August
- USDAA Agility Trial in the west Chicago area - September
- USDAA Nationals in Denver - September
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| Pixel and the Momma at USDAA Nationals 2012 |
As a result, we've been able to work on her greeting friendly people - I'd say by now she's in the hundreds. She's met just as many dogs, I'm quite sure. Since its USDAA, most of her "friends" are border collies, which has created a revere for the breed that I'm now trying to counter by seeking out as many non-BCs as possible. However, on our walks around trial sights, she ignores non-BCs, but when we pass a BC she starts to pull towards it, like she wants it's autograph or something. She really needs to meet and play with more black faced dogs, although she did quite love Nettle, a black port water dog. She needs more. She needs more smushy faced dogs, too.
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| At USDAA Nats, in my gentle leader and tuggy leash |
At trials, we work on not reacting to activity in the ring, focusing on the Momma, and playing ringside. She's doing very well with that. Also, walking on her Gentle Leader, and playing with her gentle leader on. We do many, many, many recalls in all sorts of environments.
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| Chilling in the aloft lounge with "Other" Momma, Christy, her Beck and Neelah listening to live music |
Hotels, she gets to work on being quiet in her kennel. Pottying on a leash. Being quiet in a hotel. Again, since she's been doing it since she was 14 weeks old, it's becoming just the way things are done.
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| aloft's are very dog friendly!! |
Not every thing is hunky-dory. We have work to do on house training. I think our new foster, Bunny, is a big contributor to this. She's a party animal, and Pixel forgets to go potty when she is outside, and too busy to tell us when she is inside. We'll keep working on it. The big thing is to continue to let her outside frequently, and alone if possible.
She's got lots of work to do on shaping. Her hand touches are awesome. She knows a couple tricks, but they are not 100% on cue yet. She needs more on hind end awareness - 4 feet in a basket and backing up. I'd like there to be more meaningless tricks going on just to strengthen our relationship, teach her that failure is no big deal, and create a huge work ethic. Ami and I have a goal to teach her a trick each a week. So, hopefully that'll accelerate things a bit.
Ami filmed where she's at with some of her skills, it's cute...enjoy!
It sure looks like she has a really fun life.
ReplyDeleteShe looks great!
ReplyDelete