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I will give you that I have not put Dulce in many (or any, I think) situations where she had to think in deep dirt, but still I was dismayed and appalled at her behavior. 

Now, she actually did recalls better at EE’s and she did a nice table.  However, she had no sits, but did have downs, but no down stays.  Had no intention of every looking at my eyes, and decided that burying her head in the dirt was a better idea than walking on a leash.  And when I finally figured out I had no control over her head and decided to switch to her show leash we were done.

Being able to shape all kinds of behaviors is all fine and good.  BUT you need to get stays, walking on a leash, etc. there.  Training with a self-proclaimed ADD person is also not a good idea, because guess what, you don’t get stays, walking on a leash, etc.

Sigh. 

At least I’m in a decent class, with an organized instructor with clear ideas.

I can sit down at the computer with her in an open crate.  She did ask if I were serious about it twice at the beginning.  10 minutes.  Though my getting her treats out was too much of a temptation.

She did pretty good at the down stay with some problems at the beginning and end.

Her sit stay was the best and her stand stay the worst, but that’s a behavior we’re just working on it.

Dulce is quite a bit behind Macy, but she’s improving too.

This is fun. The results from Macy’s JWW Open run.

Macy can stay in an open crate for 10 minutes if the distractions are low.  She can also do a down for most of the 5 minutes.

Dulce can do neither yet.

I plan to get in at least 2 more sessions today, since during my normal schedule getting this much work in is hard.

I got stays with Marcie and Maggie by using traditional training methods, because I haven’t found another way to do them.

Macy doesn’t have a stay.  She will hang out at t the table for a few moments, but I have to be motionless.

I don’t want to continue this problem with Dulce, so I have been taking extra lessons with clicker trainers, and trying to get a good place to create a stay for both dogs.

I’ve finally hit on a plan that I think will work.

First, I am training close and trying to get duration first.  I am also using the crate in crate games.

So, I have both dogs on the following schedule and am using a stop watch:

Crate "stay": 10 minutes.  I use what we have from crate games to get them to stay in the crate with the door open for 10 minutes.  Both dogs have tried exiting but Macy is the most successful.

Down "stay": 5 mintes.  I reinforce the down stay by treating in the stay, and putting them back.  Neither of them can stay for the entire 5 minutes yet, but it isn’t bad.

Sit "stay": 3 minutes.  Again, treating when they are in the sit and putting them back if they get up.

Stand "stay": 1 minute.

I am right with them, sitting close so I can fix any problems and plan to stay that way until we are completely successful over several trials.  Then I’ll start adding distractions.

I am very picky about training stays as my first obedience beagle had a stay problem, and I’ve never really been able to get the concept in Macy’s head.  I know people add distractions WAY to soon, and I might be going overboard the other way.

Loving our pet sitters.

Using Prestigious Pets in Dallas, at www.prestigiouspetsdallas.com and they come by each day and give the girls a potty break.

Price is right, and I feel safer and better with a pet sitter than I do using a doggy day care.  I don’t think the girls would really enjoy it. 

It’s also nice that someone is here and checks on the house each day.

It’s fun that they occasionally post pictures on Facebook — I can’t look at Facebook stuff at school using the school computer but can use my phone.

The treadmill is gone.  Just left a bit ago.  Also got my accident release signed, so after school Tuesday, I plan to go pay the chiropractor, get a receipt and release, and then send those to both insurance companies and I will FINALLY be done with the two accidents.  Can’t believe that the first one took this long.

Back when Marcie was sick with pancreatitis I decided I didn’t want finances to be involved with end of life decisions.  Thus, I enrolled Macy with @VPI Insurance.

Man, oh, man, am I glad.  Like myself and Marcie, Macy is allergic to Texas.  Not exactly sure what, but to stay happy and healthy Macy needs allergic medication and it’s more expensive than mine! 

So far, they have paid all the allergic expenses except for the deductable — $100 on my policy – and they will pay up to $560 a year I think.

Here’s the best part – when her policy expires and we renew next year, the allergy expense goes back to zero, and after the deductible we get reimbursed again.

Speaking of which, Dulce has an ear check visit scheduled this evening.

Nice to have some peace of mind, at least when it comes to vet. expenses.

Macy Q’ed in Open JWW today!  Had a score of 98, was moving fast, and very clean.

However, Novice didn’t go as well.  As a good friend said, she was great until I told her to stop, she couldn’t do the table down, or the teeter, but got everything else, including the Novice weaves.

Got something interesting in the mail yesterday – a post card already stamped and addressed to my vet, thanking her for treating Macy.  I think I’ll fill it out and send it on, it is a nice thought even though I do see her on a regular basis at agility trials.