Today's Cloud

I don't really have any complaints. Again! Today has been a very good day, from start to finish. On our walks Monster has been attentive to me, performing very nice heels, stops, recalls, etc (I've even been working on recalls with just a drag leash today, but don't tell the neighbors), at home he's been very playful and energetic but not in an obnoxious way, and I've already told you how great he did in training.

So, no cloud today!

Not. So. Fast...

What's that, Monster? You think I suck at taking direction in training, doing the exact opposite of what I'm told, misunderstanding instructions (no, I'm not doing it on purpose, stop saying that!), nodding my head and then repeating the mistake I was just warned against, forgetting what I'm supposed to do, dropping your treats, clicking too late or for the wrong thing, and generally making your training much harder than it needs to be?

Now you're being mean, Monster. But I suppose you may have a point or two... Or several.

Damn straight!

Today's Sunshine

Monster and I had a great time in training today! Monster was in a great mood, attentive and interested, albeit a bit bouncy and bitey - in a playful way with the leash (oh alright, also with my fingers). Yet another new stranger to first BAT against and then go up and sniff. This time we even did formal greetings, where he was asked to walk up to her and stick his nose in her cupped hands and then return to me for reward and praise.

Fun, a new person to slobber on!

It all went great, and time just flew by. Sure, occasionally Monster became overexcited or frustrated and started bouncing and barking, and he did do some of his lovely piranha attacks where he jumps straight up from nowhere, but he never connected (although he did slam into a plastic chair making a sound which uncomfortably reminded me of a crushed skull, nearly stopping my heart), and he clearly meant to be playful rather than aggressive.

I have to say I'm impressed with this stranger too, who more or less laughed at me when I was concerned Monster had scared her (or hurt her) by jumping at her face. I'm so used to people hating or fearing Monster that her attitude completely threw me. I know he isn't even trying to connect, but I understand it looks quite different when he's flying towards you - and you don't even know him other than as a dog who is in special training for aggression issues. Nerves of steel...

And I really wish everyone could find a trainer to help them like Teach helps me and Monster! The progress we've made in the past months is really amazing, and Teach never runs out of new things to try. We've been very lucky to meet him!

Plus he's fun! And he gives me treats, and I can still get him to flinch sometimes! Best toy ever!

Of course all Monster's inappropriate behaviors need to be worked on, I can't have a hundred pound dog who greets people by jumping up and head butting them in the face. I know today wasn't perfect. But it was a lot of fun, and an amazing success. I much prefer having an overeager bulldozer rather than an aggressive ball of suspicion.

Who are you calling bulldozer!?!

The only time he showed any suspicion was when she put her hoodie up, which made him tense up and react. But he recovered beautifully and held no grudges after that.

Today was such a fun day!

Today's Cloud

Actually, today is one of those rare days where I have nothing bad to report!

Well, I suppose you could say I've been slacking... I'm behind on my homework, to say the least. Must try to focus on necessary stuff rather than silly and fun stuff.

Awww... You're no fun.

Today's Sunshine

Monster and I had The Kid visiting again today (and yesterday), and we got some good training in together. First Monster and I made a little show with some of the tricks we've been working on, like picking up things and placing them in a bowl. This was good exercise, as performing for a reacting audience is very different from just training with me. Then we did some tracking/hide and seek, where The Kid ran outside and hid somewhere near the house after doing some confusing loops, and then Monster had to track him down. It was horribly sloppy from a formal standpoint, with the tracks extremely fresh and me even allowing some air scenting, but it was great fun for all of us.

Why doesn't The Kid live here with us?

Because you're quite enough of a handful, Monster...

Today's Cloud

We were walking past a neighbor's garden when I saw him come outside with his two Dalmatians. I called a hello, both to be polite and make sure he'd spotted me walking by with a dog. He said hello back, Monster looked at him and the dogs when he heard it, and while he did tense up and become a little excited he did look away again and keep moving. Unfortunately one of the other dogs rushed the fence to stare at us, and Monster stopped and turned to look. He was still fairly calm, but he wasn't ready to move on right that second. Even more unfortunately, the other dog also came over at that point, barking his head off, and the owner yelled after him - both things making the situation too much for Monster. I started trying to maneuver him away (by straddling him and trying to frogmarch him down the street), while the neighbor was simultaneously apologizing to us and trying to get control over his dogs. What he couldn't know of course was that to Monster it made the whole thing even worse, both that he was looking at us and addressing us, and that he was correcting his dogs (verbally and physically). It took quite a bit of wrestling to get a screaming Monster away from there, and no doubt yet another neighbor has gained a bad impression of Monster.

I'm going to EAT YOUR FACE! And then I'm coming for your dogs too...

It's so incredibly unfortunate, as it looked very promising at first when Monster was able to ignore the man and the two dogs... It still looked promising when he just wanted to look at the first dog rushing the fence... But no, it wasn't to be.

But... It wasn't my fault!

Today's Sunshine

On our morning walk today, Monster and I managed a very good spontaneous BAT session against another dog.

It turned up fairly suddenly, moving toward us, and I quickly turned around and walked Monster back where we came from. When we got to a crossroads where I could choose a different direction I turned us around toward the approaching dog again. Monster looked up, spotted it, and in a split second turned back around and started moving away, looking back at me as if asking why I wasn't following. I let him out on a long leash and walked a dozen feet or so before asking him to turn around again. He did, he looked at the dog again and then looked up at me and walked away. Pretty much perfect!

Seen it. Let's go.

Today's Cloud

Lots of nerves today... He's been growling and barking in his sleep, jumping up suddenly and looking for something to take it out on. Outdoors he's basically scanning for triggers everywhere, and seems practically disappointed when he can't find one.

Well, these days happen.

They're gonna keep happening unless you remember to buy more chicken! Can't you take a hint?