My dog is REALLY good except for... (fill in the gap) :) New article and training tips

Every dog has 'something' that winds him up. Something he just can't resist. Find out how to train around your dog's favourite distraction in today's article: My dog is really good except for...

 

I read this earlier on and really enjoyed it.

Willow is REALLY good except for getting distracted by yummy smells. I think this is one of the harder ones to set up and proof against - we can't predict the smells or know where they are - but it's certainly not impossible, but keeping things such as checking in well-rewarded and then rewarding for continued attention etc.

Shadow is REALLY good and doesn't have anything that majorly distracts him! I'm just lucky with him, although there's still plenty to work on, so I'm not resting on my laurels

 

Smells and sticks of which there is rather an abundance of here in rural France

 

Scent is a challenging one. But we can get around it. If you can't dilute the distraction, you have to focus on making the tsk easier (asking for something simple like a hand touch for example) Or ramp up those rewards - time to bring out the sardines

 

Large, fast, remote controlled cars on Wimbledon Common!

 

Charlie likes everything that has feathers x

 

Haha - Sardines big time. I know that Charlie's exchange rate for a kennel full of barking dogs is 4 tins of sardines (in a freezer bag). I have yet to discover what the exchange rate is for a remote controlled car. Half a raw antelope, I reckon...

 

4 tins - really Charlie x

 

Squirrels. We HATES squirrels.

 

Wildlife. Brods is SUCH a good boy in every way until ducks, pheasants, anything really wildlife is about. normal birds like crows etc no problem....his pupils dilate and thats it....

 

Sticks, rocks, chunks of grass, people, dogs, blowing leaves, puddles of water, and apparently as of today... a tiny doodle bug on the concrete during our walk. We had to stop and watch the doodle bug first, then eat it.

Ok we're only 6 months old so hopefully we will have a shorter list soon

 

Scavenging. When she smells something disgusting she simply HAS to try it.

 

Tatze - Jumping up at people when on walks, of course she waits until her paws are muddy and the person has a white coat on .
If I see them first she is fine and will walk to heel happily 'till past them, and never goes back. But it means walks are not quite as relaxed as they could be.

Gypsy never puts a paw wrong. She is an angel in fur and is leaving us a week on Monday

 

Fred could sniff for England

 

I could probably write lots of things... but I think honestly Welly's worst distraction has to be balls. He seems to think anyone playing with a ball and he should be involved! I must do some serious training to get him steady around balls. This week in the park, everyone was out with a ball, from football games to cricket, to kids kicking balls around...impossible to get Welly to focus on anything! I thought I had found somewhere ball free to let him off, when some kids came over and started playing with a ball! Welly then made a beeline for them and stole their ball luckily with the help of another dog owner we managed to get it back to them before he damaged it.....so that is my challenge this summer! To be able to walk my dog in the park without him wanting to join in every ball game! Wish me luck

 

Many sympathies with the ball thing...Charlie is a horror for that.

 

Balls here too, all is ok as long as I have a supply but if I forget .........................

 

Wildlife

 

Whining in the car, pulling on the lead and squirrels. Oh, and jumping on friends - she is so good at not jumping on nearly everyone, but with certain friends..........

 

Barking at anyone passing as we leave our house or return. Molly thinks she owns the whole row of houses....