The "Leave it" command

This morning on our walk I learned how wonderful the "leave it" command can make me feel and how consistent training is so important. We can teach our dog anything, call any behavior anything we wish but if it is not reinforced consistently and rewarded well it will do us no good.

I had the day off today so our walkie was a bit later than normal. We were heading toward home when I saw the "bad dogs" of the neighborhood on their front porch getting ready for a walk. Three women, three dogs; a Am Eskimo, a Beagle, and a Daschund. We would pass within 10 feet of them soon. Before we were spotted I told Oz and Happy to "leave it". Immediately the two goofs started to look for what they were to leave alone and spotted the Bad news dogs who saw them at the same time. All 3 of the Bad News dogs started barking, spinning and flinging against the end of their leash, total chaos. 9:00 in the morning and these three yahoos were making enough noise to wake the dead and the humans at the end of their leads did nothing. I told my Boyz "Leave it" and "close" and locked the Flexi and we continued on. As we pass the 3 wild ones, barking, lunging and spinning, Oz and Happy just looked at them and happily trotted past. I could tell Oz wanted so desperately to pee on their lawn but he never once pulled on the lead, Happy either. Once we were at the end of the block I stopped and hugged them both. The three women were in awe at my two. I was so proud.

"Leave it" works, use it. :)

How to get brilliant, confident, dogs in one easy step.

Last night at agility practice Oz made me proud. I had taken both Oz and Happy as back up just in case Oz got a bit wild... Silly me, Oz was awesome. I think the instructor (Barbara) was a bit skeptical when we walked in... a terrier on the end of the leash pulling and flying around like a mad dog. He settled right in to with full focus once I removed the lead for his turn at the weave poles... did absolutely wonderful. we did 6 on the near side (left), treated then did 6 more the same direction then turned and did them on the far side (right) in the same manner. next was a short 10 obstacle course... jump, dog walk, jumps, table weave jumps. He did that wonderfully also... except he launched off before he hit the contacts... he just started that. Next was a tricky run with an awkward jump sequence. Rise taught me well, we handled it beautifully... We chose the more difficult handling that removed running distance for me... At the end of class someone said "you are so lucky your dogs are so confident, you don't have to deal with the issues the rest of us have" She is so right.. I do have brilliant, beautiful, confident, loving dogs. A good reason why puppy mills and some back yard breeders should be put out of business.

Puppies need certain things to become wonderful companions. If they get this while they are young and impressionable it is easy. If this doesn't happen then the rest of their lives they may be struggling. That is not to say that ALL dogs that come from puppy mills and BYB are bad or have issues or that all puppies from reputable breeders don't have problems, we all know that is not the case. However, if they have plenty of social time with other dogs and puppies, love, quality food, some kind of regimen on a day to day basis the chances of them struggling to become the dog they want to be is lessened. Furthermore, if we do our part when we take them home it furthers their education. Take them everywhere, Home Depot, Pet Smart, PetCo, malls... anywhere they can interact with other dogs and people and different floor surfaces, noises, smells. DO NOT react when something out of the ordinary happens, that will only give the puppy the OK to be fearful.

My dogs are fearless, sweet, brilliant and the best dogs in the world for me. I owe their breeders for that... I just continued the lessons. :)

ChTC (Champion of the Terminally Cute) Cairngorm Shot in the Dark CGC, RA, SE, TBAD, TDAAG1, TOTO THE MAGNIFICENT, TDI therapy dog.

ChTC Kinloch Shadowood CGC, RN, TBAD, TDAAG1

Both soon to be NAJ/NAP