Shaker baby Update

It's Thursday and that means Shaker Baby's obedience class and time to reflect on the progress of the week.

First, I am reading a book that Sara of http://sydneygooddog.blogspot.com/ recommended Control Unleashed: Creating a Focused and Confident Dog by Leslie McDevitt. First let me say that it is the most amazing book I have ever read. I would recommend it for anyone who owns a dog and wishes to deepen their personal and/or performance relationship with their dog. I would also highly recommend it if you dog is reactive--even slightly!

Today I worked on a massage exercise with Shaker and Russ (separately of course) in which I massaged their ears and jaws and then synchronized my deep breathing and theirs. It was an amazing moment for me and both dogs were visibly relaxed.

So I added this to my repertoire at obedience class tonight--"Look at ...", "Watch me", and the deep breathing exercises. I also have been conditioning a default position of "sit while looking at me." Also Diane at Petsmart added a wooden spoon loaded with cream cheese.

I did an ear and jaw massage to relieve stress before taking him out of my truck. I waited for him to default to a sit and watch before we started to walk. He walked calmly until the Siberian Husky puppy locked eyes, but the Husky owner was great and turned his dog away. With our dogs facing away from one another we had a short conversation in which Shaker was great. Whoooo Weeeee!

We entered the building and headed directly for the fish. He settled in and allowed several people to pet him. YEAH!!!

We went to class. He walked past a puppy no issues! Fantastic!

Then a gentleman and I use that term very loosely brought his Rottweiler with a gigantic prong collar up to the fence and had him sit and stare at the puppies in class. Yes you heard me right. This guy parks his Rott up against the fence to stare at the baby puppies. There is only on reason you teach your dog to stare is.....to make that dog aggressive. This behavior is totally unacceptable and gives Rotts a bad name. Fortunately I am blessed to have friends who have well socialized, sweet and gentle Rotts--Yogi and Boo. I have had he pleasure of resting my head on Yogi's chest and shoulder--behaviors that he welcomed. So hats off to Kris and Deb who raised up these amazing giant dogs. And thumbs down to anyone who knowing teaches their dogs to be aggressive.

Anyway I digress Shaker started growling and a bit of barking but not as bad a before. Progress. Anyway, Diane decided to do a loose leash walk to the other side of the building. We were successful, and then back to the fenced area. This is the point at which Diane introduced the wooden spoon and cream cheese. So here is the deal--when Shaker got seriously distracted and didn't attend to me, I was able to lure him back to me with the wooden spoon smeared with cream cheese. It worked like a charm. I couldn't have been happier. (Tomorrow I am going to work with Russ on "watch me" while heeling with the cream cheese spoon.)

Class ended, and we left without any issues. Yep this was a good night.