Sunday, November 17, 2019

Teddy Training

When I first came to live with 'Them Indoors' I was an anxious fur. My humum had been in and out of hospital and I had similarly been in and out of kennels, my own home and other peoples'. I was not happy and was a bit vocal on my walks, feeling the need to comment, perhaps more loudly than was entirely polite, at children, bicycles, horses, men walking past, and other furs. Over time, and with the good example of the Boss, Rolo, who ignored them all unless he thought he could get a treat, I became less shouty, but then the Boss passed over the rainbow bridge and I took a few steps back. However, with some patience and steady training, I gradually stopped commenting on most things, with the noteable exception of other furs. There are one or two, like Daisy the polite Labrador, whose owner, Mr Mike, does a good line in treats, and Milo who is just too old to bark at, whose presence I tolerate, but everyfur else gets a good terrier shouting at, with me dangling from the end of my lead, rage and indignation personified. For some reason, 'Them Indoors' took exception to this, but couldn't find a way to make me stop, so they contacted the Cinnamon Trust who placed me with 'Them Indoors' in the first place, and they found me a behaviourist. She paid us a visit and gave 'Her Indoors' lots of ideas, some of which are good, and some of which, to be frank, I could have done without.
          On the positive side, she suggested that 'Her Indoors' teach me some tricks. Now the secret with this, I learnt from the Boss, is not to catch on too quickly so that lots of treats are deployed. So far, I have slowly learnt to sit, lie down, shake a paw, wait for a treat left on the floor until I'm allowed to get it, and jump through a hoop. True, the hoop isn't very far off the ground, but it is gradually getting higher. Walking on my back legs to command, something I can do when I choose to, very well, is still a work in progress, as is playing dead (why, for Dog's sake?). I'm also struggling with getting a treat out from under a plant pot. When it is there, it's there, and when it's gone it's gone, as far as I'm concerned, so I just sit there and look alternatively interested then puzzled. The behaviourist also suggested that 'Her Indoors' make my walks more fun, with treats, games etc, but when it's first thing in the morning and raining, no amount of treats and encouragment makes me happy. Still, there is a game I do like. We find a bank or a tree stump and I sit and watch whilst 'Her Indoors' hides some treats in nooks and crannies, then I have to find them all. If I forget, 'Her Indoors' helps with a bit of pointing, but I'm getting quite good at it now.
          Another positive is the suggestion that 'Them Indoors' use some temporary fencing to make me an area in the garden that's away from that fluffy woofy Leonburger next door, as when I'm outside, I spend the whole time guarding the fence line. I now have the front garden all to myself, and 'Her Indoors' has added some small hurdles. I thought, to begin with, these were to keep her occupied whilst I was sniffing around searching for rabbits, but apparently I'm supposed to jump over them. I've so far demonstrated how to go round and even, rather impresssively, under, but with lots of treats, I might eventually deign to get the hang of it....
          Less positive, was the suggestion that 'Her Indoors' needs to work on my emotional flexibility, with her leading when I am played with, when play is paused, and when it stops. There was nothing wrong with me doing the decision making in my book, but I've had to go along with it. I've also got mixed feelings about the block and back up technique 'Her Indoors' has been shown how to use when I see something of medium interest. I've tried sitting down but she just crowds my space until I walk backwards - bizare.
          And one thing I could definitely live without is my Halti headcollar. 'Her Indoors' had bought it before she met the behaviourist, but wasn't sure if it was a good idea. The behaviourist thought we should use it, but, in addition to my normal lead attached to my harness, with a separate light lead on the head collar, which only comes into play when I misbehave. If I lunge forward, the strap around my nose tightens, and 'Her Indoors' uses it to direct my head away from the source of trouble. I really don't like it and to begin with, I stopped frequently to try and remove it with my paws. 'Her Indoors' used to make me tolerate it for a short time, then she would take it off before I managed to do it myself. After a while, when it became clear that 'Her Indoors' wasn't going to give up, I decided to accept it, but it is a real kill-joy and has stopped me barking at lots of furs. Oddly, 'Her Indoors' is really pleased, which just goes to show that hupeeps are unfathomable.
          The behaviourist is coming back shortly, to see how I'm doing. I'm hoping 'Her Indoors' will make it clear which ideas I approve of and which I don't, but I suspect my views might not be fully taken into account. I'm not sure what the Boss would make of all of this. There are times when I really miss his advice. However, I am, at heart, a people pleasing fur, and I really value 'Her Indoors' good opinion, which I suspect is a disadvantage in this situation. Still, if anyone wants a performing pooch who can't find a treat under a flowerpot, I'm your fur! A jump through a hoop anyone...?

It's a size one but don't let your hupeeps buy you one, they spoil your fun......
Ignoring the jumps....

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Three years on...

 The 13th February marks three years since we lost the Boss, Rolo. He was an amazing fur, and we still miss him.  One of the many difficult ...