Training

Our Skylar just finished a round of puppy training. It was six weeks long and covered all the typical commands one would associate with a beginner class. She was taught how to walk nicely on a leash, sit, lie down, come, stay and leave it.  She did very well within the class; as a matter of fact she usually received weekly praise from the instructor who commented about how well behaved she is.  As is typical though, she was usually only well behaved in class.  Being home is another story.

For the most part she has learned what she is supposed to do.  Sometimes she walks calmly at the end of the leash.  It is a pleasure when she pleasantly keeps pace and isn't distracted by the bugs or blowing leaves or the landscape guys who may be on the other side of the street.  It sometimes takes an exasperated tug and a frustrated "SKYLAR" to get her back on track but eventually she falls into line.

She does know how to sit on command though Alexa and I have been utilizing different hand signals to get her to comply.  I figure we're probably confusing the dog since we're sending her mixed signals.  Alexa very calmly motions uses the motion the instructor suggested and mattter of factly tells her to sit.  Skylar sits.  I on the other hand am more forceful and do what I had done with Jersey.  I snap my fingers and point to the ceiling with one finger and strongly say "sit." Skylar will sit but she usually looks at me like I'm out of my mind.  I'll do it about 10 times, snapping harder and my voice raising in exasperation.  It seems that Skylar walks walks away from me more often than she sits. I'm sure she thinks that I'm an idiot and will give up as she turns away.

Jersey was the same way.  She didn't really take me seriously and knew I would let her get away with murder.  It took her a long, long time to decide to come when she was called.  Even then she would mosey back when she was done doing whatever she had been doing.  It would take numerous tugs on the leash and  repeated pleas of "easy" before she would slow down and stop pulling so hard.  About the only thing she did on a regular basis was to sit down as I would get her food and put the bowl down onto the floor.  She would wait patiently until I told her to go ahead, it was OK to eat.  Other than that, most everything else was on her own timetable.

Jersey went to training, too.  We actually took her to two different classes.  The first one she was so small, she could hide under the folding seats that were placed in a circle in the classroom.  She needed a lot of coaxing and reassurance to get her to emerge and demonstrate the skills she was shown.  In the next class, she was much bigger.  She couldn't fit under a chair anymore and wasn't sure what to make of the other pups in the class.  She would eventually comply with what she was asked to do often enough to receive a diploma, though her lessons never really took.

As much as I loved her, Jersey was stubborn.  She was smart enough to know that if she escaped from the backyard, I wouldn't be able to catch her unless she wanted to be caught.

My point is that as I remember trying to train Jersey, I'm seeing the same problems with Skylar.  I think I'm too much of a mush to be stern with a commanding presence.  I allow myself to be walked over, which is the one time she doesn't pull on the leash.