Reality Check

I'm not sure why I started this blog.  It had something to do with memories.  Maybe I wanted to help my memory when training a future dog.  Maybe, with Roxy's recent passing, it has something to do with memorializing Shasta in the years to come.  By that I mean, something out there to help me remember as much as I can about the entire journey.  What I wouldn't give to have kept such a blog with Roxy.

Regardless of why, I know it's not about idolizing Shasta, documenting only the good things.  I want it to be about the entire picture. 

So far, early indications are that Shasta could be a great dog.  Great.  As a companion.  As a show dog.  But it's time for a reality check.  What have I seen already that may cause an obstacle in the future?

One known thing, she is vocal and she is loud.  Not over the top.  Yet.  But the potential is there.

Maybe there is an indication of not being easily forgiving.  She caught her toe very briefly getting out of a crate in the early days with us and she is still hesitant coming out of the crate.  What I can't recall is if she was hesitant before getting the toe caught briefly.

I could see situations where if I don't keep things interesting enough that she could decide to find her own fun.  She has a quality I can't quite define.  It's sort of an impatience but that's not quite it because she can stay at a task for a long period of time, she can try all sorts of behaviors during shaping exercises.  However, when in "training mode" she clearly wants something to do and if I disconnect or pause, she isn't going to wait for me.

Lastly, at this point I consider it a positive trait but maybe it's possible it becomes an obstacle.  And that is that I don't recall any of our other puppies being THIS food motivated.  She is super crazy about food.  I know I rely too heavily on food in my training.  Could she be too food motivated for my training methods?  Maybe.

To this point, after observing her for 6.5 weeks, that's all I can come up with.  I know other things can and will crop up.  But it's an honest assessment of what I've seen so far.  It seems to me to be further indication that she could be a great dog to only have this small and minor list of potential future obstacles.

Hmm, with that conclusion, maybe this wasn't much of a reality check after all....

First Motorhome Trip - The Weekend

We were at the Fargo shows this weekend.  Nothing too special to report except that Shasta did really well again.  She did well in the RV, played with the other dogs at times but also spent late evenings lying at my feet at the table.

Not sure if I mentioned this before, but I find how Shasta first meets another dog rather fascinating.  It's probably true of many dogs but so very clear with her.  And that is that when she meets a dog she reacts exact opposite of them at first.  If they push into her, she backs off.  If they back off, she pushes into them.  If they just kind of hang in there and sniff, that's what she does too. 

Look out Zenna, here comes Shasta!

First Motorhome Trip

This is Shasta during her first motorhome trip showing that she is clearly stressed about it.  She is a great rider, car or motorhome.  Don't know about a motorcycle.  ;-)

Not much training this week.  Tuesday night was mostly about doing some fix-up work on some of our puppy agility equipment, Wednesday was teaching night.  Tonight was about traveling to Fargo. 

After our arrival in Fargo, I took her out to play and run around for a while to release some energy after doing nothing all day. And she spent a great deal of that running around time with the Flexi leash in her mouth and playing with it. Cute!  Kris said it was nothing new for her, she always play with the Flexi that way.  I guess I haven't used a Flexi much because it was new to me.  Adorable look, she looked so proud with it.

First Thunderstorm Today

In March?  In Minnesota??  Yes.  80 degrees and thunderstorms came through.  Not terribly bad, they were good "introduction" storms for Shasta.  ;-)  No surprise but she did not seem to react at all.  Except, she is not happy at all about pottying in the rain so she may not be a "mudder" in agility.

She has now solidly learned her position of front two paws on the ground and back two paws on the beverage tray.  Getting it 90%, comfortable and holding the position for a few seconds until I click.  Finally, I taught something that will have "direct" value for later showing.  ;-)

I started teaching "right" last night.  It demonstrates again that I train "by the seat of my pants".  I wish I was a note-taker.  All my dogs have had pretty good lefts and rights when all is said and done.  But I can't ever remember how I taught a past dog.  I can never decide if I should teach both left and right at the same time (seems very complicated for a pup to differentiate) or if I should start with one before the other (which would seem to create a stronger turn in the original direction).  Well, Shasta is going to learn "right" first and I will add the left later.  Not too much later, but later.  Maybe this blog will help me remember for future dogs!

Cute Video - Crate Games Puppy Version 101

Cute video of 3 month old Shasta crated next to Toni's 9 month old border colllie puppy.  I love the killer border breath part at the end, it's exactly how it looked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6P94SZ5gaI

Not A Hot Weather Dog?

I guess it's been a few days already since I posted.  It's been a VERY strange stretch of weather, it's March and it's HOT.  80 and humid!  40 degrees over average and dewpoints in the 60s.  And Shasta has not thought highly of the temps, she is panting pretty easily and lying only on tile the last two days.

We have an in-town show this weekend and today Shasta showed fear for the first time.  I took her outside to pee and as we were walking back in a motorcycle with an intentionally loud muffler drove up behind us.  Little Shasta hit the end of the leash with ears back.  Sadly I didn't have any treats with me but after a few seconds she settled and I let her watch it for about 5 seconds as it drove past us and we went inside.  Later we were back outside with quieter motorcycles 50-100 feet away or so and she didn't react at all.  This motorcycle was LOUD, can't say I really blame her. 

As for training, still going really well.  Last night she was hot and tired, she wasn't as intense but trained some.  Tonight we actually turned the a/c on a little and she was back to being a little nuts about our little training session.  Her down is now going very well.  The sit is going pretty well although right now I think she thinks it's jump up and then go down into the sit.  As for the beverage tray, it took about three sessions but she was somewhat reliably putting her two back feet on the tray, two front feet on the ground and holding it for about a second.

She also spent more time a few nights ago again with the large tennis ball and she was loving it.

Furniture! Now can we teach her how to safely get off.

She figured it out today, how to get on the couch and the recliner every time.  And she thinks that is fun.  Now we need to teach her how to safely get off without the puppy leap.

The beautiful weather continues this week and today we had a chance after work to go out in the yard and play.  Sonic, Shasta, me and Kris.  I brought a larger tennis ball and a leather "riot stick" out as toys.  Shasta played with both of them, she really likes her toys.  I recall that many of our puppies do, I think her drive is stronger than past puppies but I'm not sure.  It will be interesting to see if I can keep the toy drive high as she matures.  But I would be shocked if she doesn't continue to like the tennis ball.  I can't believe she could already carry around the bigger tennis ball.

Monday night was our first night of training that didn't go all that well.  I decided to try and shape for her to lie down and I didn't feel like I got anywhere.  I even lured some and couldn't get any motions that I felt I could shape.  She is content being down or on her back, it wasn't resistance, just confusion.  Maybe she was too excited for that position, I don't know.  Then I went to the beverage tray and decided to try and step up the criteria and work toward getting her to have her two back paws on the tray and her front paws on the floor.  Again, I felt like we got nowhere on it.  I brought the teeter out and finished with success on what she knew well but otherwise it felt like not much was accomplished.

We went at it again tonight.  Started again with the down.  It was about five minutes of more of the same, just not getting it.  But, finally, it clicked.  It started with her sitting and sniffing the floor that I clicked and she did that numerous times.  Then one time she lied down to sniff and, bingo, that seemed to get it done.  We'll see if it sticks for next time.  We also worked some on the back paws on the tray, we didn't make huge progress but I think we did get a little closer.  The incredible part is that even in the sessions with less success, she is willing to try and try and try.

A Beautiful Weekend

It's been a tremendous weekend, weather-wise.  Crushing record temps, it's been near 70 both days.  Part of the day on Sunday was Shasta, Sonic and I playing tennis ball in the backyard.  Shasta loved chasing and strutting around with her own ball.  For whoever says berners don't love tennis balls, you can't convince me with this line.

The above video is a 20 second video of Shasta tipping the puppy teeter by pouncing on it.  I love how comfortable she is with the movement.  I'm going to try my best to see that she stays comfortable later when we go to full teeter height.

Here is a photo of Shasta's new trick.  I took a little metal beverage tray and turned it upside down.  I got her to the point of getting all four feet on it and holding the position for about 3 seconds.  I'm not sure any of the things I am teaching her is going to translate into anything meaningful later, but I am having fun doing them and it's fascinating to watch her figure them out. 

Couch Time

Today was a day for errands so not much puppy time.  But today was also the day for Shasta to make it up on to the couch.  And the futon.  And the porch chair.  And to go down the stairs to the basement.  A whole new world opened up for Shasta today while the older dogs lost their safe haven!

First Time at Agility Class

Tonight was agility class night, first as students, then as teachers.  I brought Shasta for the first time.  While other dogs ran, I had her out with me.  While Sonic ran, she was in Sonic's crate.   Again, she adapted to it all amazingly.  New place and she walked into it with confidence.  She met other dogs confidently.  It's a horse arena with horses in it during the day.  But she spent most of her "non-crate" time engaged with me.  She preferred me over sniffing and eating some very enticing dirt!  When it came time to run Sonic, she was attentive but calm in the crate.  

We even quickly introduced her to the chute between classes.  It took about 10 seconds to get her to see that I was on the other end of the long chute (as I held it up of course) to run through it the first time.  But the second time she bolted right through.  Third time too.  It was time to call it quits.  But she just kept pulling on her leash to get back to the chute.  C'mon dad, one more!?

When it was time to teach, I kept her in the crate in the arena.  For two hours she relaxed in the crate, watching some, sleeping some, greeting dogs that would sniff her crate.  I was especially happy to see her relaxing in it while an anxious dog was whining very loudly next to her for a few minutes at a time. 

Another impressive night for Shasta.  How she sometimes chooses to sleep is not as impressive (see below).

Shasta and the Cone - First Video

Here is a video of Shasta going around the cone.

Is she a cute worker or what?  Nice to see that she is happy working away from me.  We did more tonight and she was really, really comfortable pushing that teeter down in any way in any spot.

Latent Unlearning?

We started tonight's training with a little "sit" work.  It went so well two nights ago and, tonight, it was pretty much "huh?".  Seemed she had never been clicked for a sit before.  Is there such a thing as latent unlearning?

But on to the work of running around the cone and she was back in great form.   I quickly moved back again to about 25 feet this time and out she went to that cone, to the back side and running back once she hears the click.  Next it was to true latent learning.  I went back to the puppy teeter, this time deciding I was only going to "pay" for her tipping the board, however she did it.  Previously she had understandably seemed a tiny bit hesitant to do the tip side.  But tonight right from the start she was slamming that board down and looking for the treat. 

On Sunday it was another day at the show.  Shasta had a great time since she got to play with puppy cousin Smokin for quite a while.  She also got to play for a bit with slightly older portugese puppy Jacky Kott.

A Smile on a Tough Day

I'm not in a good mood today.  And I've always believed that no training session is better than a bad training session so I wasn't go to do anything with Shasta tonight.  But for some reason I decided to. 

I started by working on a sit.  It went well.  Nothing special but she was doing just fine with it.  Next, I took out one of our cones and I decided I would try and shape having her go around the cone.  It didn't take long at all to not only have her going around the cone but I moved about 15 feet away and she was running away from me to go around it.  Watching her figure that out brought a smile to my face on this tough day.  Thanks Shasta!

Again, I had to be the one to quit, she was willing to keep going.  I think we were working at it for about 20-25 minutes.

At the show a friend came with her two young girls, ages 7 and 10.  They wanted to see Shasta.  Great by me, our dogs get very little socializing with young kids.  I brought Shasta to them and after about 30 seconds of observing, I gave the leash to the older girl and backed away.  Shasta did great with both girls.  No reason she shouldn't have, both girls were very good with her.  Still, it was great to have the opportunity and have her do well with it.

Vet Visit #2

Yesterday was Shasta's second vet visit for shots.  It was uneventful and she was again checked over and said she is in great shape.  She did seem a little tired during the evening hours from the shot though.

Today was day one of the TCOTC shows.   I was told that she was really barking and growling and wanting to join the action when my sister Toni was playing with her puppy Smokin right outside Shasta's crate.  They said she was a jealous pup.