Going to try a Halti and feeling sad

I'm really lucky that my husband soon came around to the positive training way. I kept explaining what I was learning through reading books, this forum and the Labrador & puppy sites.
We have both agreed that if Dexter doesn't make it into the field by using these methods, then he will NOT be used in gundog work. He is not going to be trained using harsh methods. We will take our time, there are no deadlines to meet. I have learnt so much about Dexter and myself these last few weeks and now I'm not getting hung up concentrating on extra lead I am able to see where I'm not always giving clear cues etc on our lead walks. I'm glad I tried the Halti, it has made me aware of a lot of times that I was just asking too much of Dexter at the stages we were at.

 

Thank you, we are getting there, slowly but surely, one step at a time. My shoulders are less painful too, the bungee lead really helps absorb the shock when he does have a numpty puppy moment
I'm more mindful of what we are working on, stop as and when we need to, sometimes very often other times when he's coping I remember to reward him and vary what his food reward is.
A lady stopped me the other day to say how well Dexter is coming along, she said she had seen us often walking around locally and she had noticed how he is improving . I did feel rather proud of myself but more of Dexter.

 

Thank you, I feel in a much better place now. It was quite soul destroying when everything fell apart, I really thought I'd messed up big time. Had I not come on this forum and lay myself bare, so to speak, I'm not sure where we would be now. I really am grateful. It made me take a good hard look at what I was/wasn't doing.

 

Slow and steady wins the race. Like you said, there are no deadlines.

When I was out with Willow the other evening, it seemed everyone and their goat was out and we stopped several times for a chat. Three times, the person was fussing her while talking. There was no silly puppy behaviour, no jumping up, just a lovely uncued sit and wait for me to start walking again. The people all commented on how well behaved she was. My standard response is "Hehe, she still has her moments!", just in case they see me another time and she (or Shadow) is being a monster
It's always lovely to hear that someone has noticed your efforts. You should be proud of Dexter, but don't sell yourself short. Without you, he wouldn't have learnt those manners.

 

A blackbird this morning was a challenge but it was on the grass before the walk way that leads to the field. Dexter was rather excited so I spent 20 minutes getting him to be calmly walking to heel on this grass area and going across the road away from it, going back onto it etc. Then when Dexter was in a calm frame of mind, we were able to pass the blackbird and head down the track.
At the top of the slope to the field, I put him in a sit stay, dropped his lead, walked down the slope mainly backwards, then called him to me. He did all this, got his C&T, sat whilst I unclipped his lead and stayed until I released him with 'OK go run' as his reward.

 

That's what is so fantastic about this forum. I was crying and in bits when we rescued Charlie at 9 months old and thought there was nothing we could do to train him but everyone supported me and kept me going with all their great training advice and he passes for a half decent dog now, not perfect but hey he'll do for us. We keep going trying to improve our training all the time and he's 5 years old now. A long hard struggle but worth it. Slowly, slowly catchy Monkey, it's not a race xx

 

Yes, I tend to always say we have our moments, which we do.
Okay, here goes, I have worked and still do work hard training Dexter and I'm doing a very good job of it. It may not always look like it but I am .
I must remember this, my husband is always reminding me and telling me I'm doing a great job with Dexter. I find it hard to praise myself
Thank you Fiona

 

I thought I was doing this but now I know I wasn't. What I was doing was getting to where I wanted to get to, in no given time limit. Which is totally different.

 

Yes you are!

It's so easy to look at how far you still have to go, rather than appreciating how far you've already come. I think it's a good exercise for us all, once in a while, to think back a month, six months, a year, whatever, and see what our dogs are doing now that they couldn't do then.

 

ABSOLUTELY x

 

Well done Charlie and you, together we help each other through the difficult times and celebrate our successes too, however big or small they are.
This forum is a fantastic comunity and our wonderful dogs/puppies keep us firmly grounded

 

That's where training logs and filming come in really handy.
It's so refreshing when you look back and realise how far you've come