The Graduate!

Last Tuesday, Reilly graduated from the beginner obedience class.  Yay, Reilly!  They set up an obstacle course for all the doggies, and he did well at all the stations.  I'm still planning on sending him back through this beginner course before we go on to the next one, as the next one here is the CGC.  He would graduate with his CGC at 7 months old, which I think is too young.  So, the beginner class will reinforce the things he's learned already, and I can continue to work on adapting some things to work/task related tasks.  He does need more work on his attention to me, so I planned to redo the class for that alone.   That should come with more time with him.  Now that he's got some basic manners under his belt, I'll be trying him at work on my non-teaching days.  He needs practice learning to let people come into his space instead of his puppy-self rushing towards people.  I know at least one of my students is terrified of dogs.  She overheard a conversation between me and another student about Reilly's training, and just the thought of a dog coming to class scared her.  I assured her that he would not be coming to class this semester, and would be taught not to approach people but to allow people to approach him instead.  She was relieved to hear that.  It does remind me not to have him start coming to class in the middle of the semester.  He'll need to start at the beginning of the semester, to allow students who don't want to be in a room with a dog to have time to switch sections.  Or at least I need to announce it at the beginning of a semester that he may be coming in at some point during the semester.  I am not allowed to have an announcement posted on the class lists, but I can post my own announcement on my Blackboard sites for students to access, and put a sign on my office door to that effect.  He'll probably be able to to start coming full time by next fall semester, although he still won't be mature enough to start counterbalance work then.  He should be opening doors and retrieving items for me, though.  That will be lovely in itself, but the balance work will be wonderful!

The obedience class instructor fitted Reilly with a pinch collar last night, too.  He's started pulling on our park walks.  He was unhappy with the collar, but walked out to the car like a gentleman.  We'll try it at the park Friday morning and see how he does.  He's a smart pup; I'm betting one or two walks will make the point with him and we'll be able to give it up quickly.  It's a training tool; not a life plan.  I've never liked them and don't intend to use it long, but he must learn not to pull before it becomes a bad habit to break.

He's also finally figuring out how to get in the car by himself...mostly.  He's been able to get his front end up there for some time.  It's the back end that's been the problem.  Jake went through the same thing.  I've started grabbing a back foot and telling him "foot" just as I do when I want to wipe off wet feet.  He picks it up, but now I'm placing it up on the car step.  Then touch the other hind foot and do the same.  He's lifting himself in, and is so tickled with himself!  I got a good tail-smack in the face from it the other day...but it was well worth it!

We took him to the pet store Thursday evening, as we needed more food.  I didn't use the pinch collar... and this is the first time he's gotten terribly excited while out and pulled me all over.  Friday morning on our park walk I used the collar, and he walked by my side like a gentleman.  Chris had taken Murphy, and he pulled Chris allover!  We'll likely try a pinch collar on him, too.  Jake has no need of one; he's a gentleman through and through.

I contacted the other members of a committee I'm on at work and asked if they had a problem with Reilly attending meetings (since they are invariably on my non-teaching days.)  Since Reilly does have full access rights in this state I don't need to ask, but I think courtesy goes a long way.  Not only do they not mind, they were quite pleased to be part of his training.  I'm glad that everyone we've encountered so far has been positive about this.  It'll make Reilly's training so much easier.

The first day or two he goes in we'll just work on office manners and what's expected of him there.  Then we'll introduce door opening with the type of doors we have.  I was thinking about him before class the other day, and realized that the classroom floors are awfully slick.  That could make it difficult for him to get up, and be bad for his joints.  I'll need to see about a rug with backing that we can put in the rooms I teach, so he has a safe...and more comfortable... place to lie down and get up from.  I could carry a rug with me, but it would be easier to leave one in each room.  I'll have to see about that.

Meg and Reilly