Training Class Begins

I don't know how it happened, but somehow I let work get in the way of my dog training blog. I know, crazy, right? Anyway . . .

On Tuesday we had the first session of the Ruff Diamond Training class at the MSPCA. I was nervous that this was going to be the e-collar all over again (lots of hype and money spent and a worse dog). I figured "it's the MSPCA, all they see are broken dogs!" Plus the class is only for dog aggression, so it will fix everything right up. And it is all clicker training and classical and operant conditioning.

This first class was just an introduction. Humans only. First of all, the teacher said all the right words and phrases. "Dogs aren't pack animals" being a key one for me. That phrase means she has read the latest in animal behavior science, which I too have read. What I look for in an expert (and always have) is, "do they know more than me?" If I can read about a topic for 2 weeks and I have more up-to-date information that you, the expert, you are not an expert!

I just felt good about the class. My group of dogs has a Newfoundland, a 75lbs bulldog, a 50 lbs mix and Juneau. So that means, no tiny dogs to cause any tiny-dog problems. They gave us a head collar which is big and strong for Juneau's big strong head. (Just last week she broke her Halti, so it was time for a change anyway.)

Our first tasks for the week are to

• Prime the clicker
• I have tried clicker training with Juneau in the past so she was more than ready to get treats for clicks again
• Create a location for the dog to be when you aren't with them so no escalation can happen
• Juneau is crate trained and her crate is in the garage for the hot months, so no escalation there.
• Practice laying down on a mat
• Since Juneau already knows both a voice and hand command for down, I expect this too be easy. We start tonight!
• Train them that they get the treats from sitting and making eye contact, not by jumping up and biting at the treat bag/your hands
• Juneau already knows that if she sits and makes eye contact with me she gets a treat. Now she just needs to learn that jumping up and biting me or stuffing her face in the treat bag doesn't work . . . 
• Don't go anywhere except to class for 4 weeks
• Ugh. Since we live in a condo this isn't exactly possible, but I have been trying extra hard to avoid the neighbor dogs. My typical schedule revolves around non-dog times, so it shouldn't be too hard. The hard part is no dog park, no long walks, no day care. 

We have been using the clicker on our walks to remember how it works and to get better at "heel". So far I'm pretty happy. The class will make it so I can't slack off too.