Drat it, drat it. I was supposed to go to class today, but took Charlie for a short lead walk before driving and he in limping. Front right. Drat, drat, drat. OH says he thinks there was some broken glass by the bench, so now examining his paw with a torch! But can't see anything. Sigh....
SO disappointed. I've examined his paw with a torch - I don't think there is anything wrong with his pad.
Sigh....OH has just taken him out for a little stroll, so we'll see how he is when he gets back. Luckily I don't have to be in the office tomorrow, so I can pop him to the vet's first thing if necessary.
I know you will be disappointed but you erred on the side of caution and I'd have done the same,especially with Charlie,,,,hope its not too long before you can rebook? x
You did the right thing Julie it's better to be safe than sorry Julie, there will always be classes. Hope Charlie is OK. Chin up. x
I know. I think I saw him limp again. Sigh....worry, worry. Off to the vet tomorrow - even though my long suffering vet usually says YOUR DOG IS NOT LIMPING! OK!
Good luck,hope it's something and nothing,I won't say don't worry because I know you will,I'll be looking our for news x
Well, I did some training with Charlie on Wednesday. I've been watching him like a hawk today, to see whether he is stiff. He doesn't seem to be - it's a bit difficult to tell without doing a video and comparing it to the others, but I didn't have any help today so I'll have to do a video tomorrow. I've been trying to work on steadiness with Charlie - I have been for the last 3 years! On and off between injury, of course. But anyway, having a serious push now.... Anticipation is the dreadful enemy of steadiness with Charlie (I suppose it is with any dog) but he finds getting the dummy so very rewarding, and it just doesn't seem to work to use the dummy as the reward. He is not more inclined to wait next time if he waits and then is sent - he is less inclined to wait. So I don't know about all that Premack stuff, but it doesn't work for Charlie and a dummy. So the main strategy is to use a different reward to the dummy, and only reward by actually sending him once in a blue moon. It is honestly like clawing my way forward inch by inch.... Here we are (the vids are out of sequence, but never mind, it's a bit boring to watch 'till the end so I'm sure you won't! ). steadiness 10 feb by HJulie Clayton, on Flickr
I wrote you a long post then my laptop wouldn't work so lost it all! Briefly, I don't think I would do it the way your are, I wouldn't reward with a toy from you for not running in and then not rewarding him with the retrieve. I know you say if he is steady and you let him retrieve, then he is less inclined to be steady the next time. I had a running in dog, and the way we finally solved it was for the dummy thrower to pick up the dummy EVERY time until he realised that the only way he would get it is to wait! Charlie may also believe that every retrieve is for him, you should pick up some, so that he never knows if it is for you or him. I don't think it is a question of fading out the person 'guarding' the dummy, once Charlie has become steady by the removal of reward every time, it won't matter if the person is there or not!
