Today's Cloud

7 am tomorrow morning, it's Dobie time. And this time, Mom's here. This means not only is there a new and very important resource for Dobie to guard, there is also a child sized woman in her seventies for both dogs to knock over...

Guard what? Knock over who? As long as everybody is utterly quiet and nobody moves, I'm super calm. Well, no promises though...

Today's Sunshine

Monster and I have met with our trainer again today! It's pretty exhausting for both of us, but it feels great to see the progress.

We were again BATting against a staged dog (as well as whatever the surrounding world would throw at us), and I think this really is the way forward. While there certainly were a few failures, when Monster overloaded and couldn't tear himself away, he's overall a very different dog with this technique. He'll release tension much quicker, and he's more willing to engage with me even with distractions all around.

It was also nice to see how he greeted the trainer once he arrived! I won't say Monster was polite. He goes for the airborne attack eleven times out of ten, unfortunately.

I'm gonna get your nose!

But he was happy. Monster does like people, but on leash, out of his territory, with people he doesn't know very well, there's... a certain edge to how he views people, and especially people walking towards us. But as soon as he spotted the trainer (I've got to find a name for him soon, don't I? How about... Teach?) he perked up. And when Teach got close enough Monster could be certain he recognized him, he started doing the full body wagging and happy snorting reserved for Monster Favorites. While I suppose it doesn't really matter if Monster likes the trainer or not I think it says something about how Monster feels about this training. He's only met Teach in this specific place, doing these specific exercises. If Monster found these sessions unpleasant, I don't think he'd respond like this to him. So at least in my mind, if Monster loves the trainer, Monster loves the training. Plus, it's just nice to see him happy.

Of course, once Teach got close enough, Monster became a rubber piranha.

Today's Cloud

Monster vomited twice this morning, yellow water and foam. He appears fine now, and has been eating and drinking, but these things always freak me out...

Today's Sunshine

Monster's been coming when called every time today. He's come in from the garden without objection, he's come on recall, he's come to jump into the car, and he's come to eat (not very impressive with other dogs, but Monster isn't an enthusiastic eater). It may not sound like a big deal to you, but I've become used to Monster almost always pausing to evaluate the situation before responding, and I think a good day like this shows that his confidence (in himself and in me) is getting better.

Today's Cloud

Today Monster and I went back to take the same walk we did yesterday, which would lead us past the horse paddocks again. We never made it. Monster lunged at three cars, until I gave up and we turned around. He didn't lunge at every car, perhaps one in four, but the road has no shoulder and his behavior was dangerous. I saw it as soon as he got out of the car, really, he was tense from the start. I should have realized we were doomed to fail and not bothered, instead finding a quiet and empty place to walk (easier said than done).

Hehehe! Hehe! Hehehehe! Wahahahahahahahahahaaaaa!

I suspect this is payment for not doing enough with him yesterday. If Monster's brain doesn't get to work, it goes on vacation. This was a clear case of "nobody home".

Today's Sunshine

Monster and I had some guest tonight, my sister and her husband. Monster was so happy! He wound around their legs like a cat, holding a squeaky toy and snorting with happiness. But when the people stopped moving he was content to lie down and watch, and softly squeak his toy. When they interacted with him, he performed what they asked (sit and stay, shake, and so on), not once stress barking or lunging at faces (that sounds really bad, but he's not attacking, he's just trying to reach so he can lick). Amazing, and so much fun!

What? Like it's hard or something?

Today's Cloud

I've been neglecting Monster. Again. I had to leave him alone in the car for hours, and this evening I was going to do some fun training with him, but... Yeah, that annoying "but". And then I just got a call saying there will be some workers turning up tomorrow morning to install some windows! If I'd known that I'd have put in a lot of command reinforcement and confidence training tonight... Well, I only have myself to blame, since I should be doing that anyway, but (and there the "but" crops up again!) I really need some advance warning before we'll have strange men handling tools and swearing in the house, to make sure Monster deals with it best possible.
(They're also afraid of dogs. What the heck am I supposed to do with that!?)

Fun day tomorrow!