"Showoff" moments and training thoughts

 Two show off moments in one post!!!!

Above is Tess performing a "bow", which she does on verbal command.  "Bow" sounds a lot like "Down", so I pronounce it "B-oh".  She started offering play bows when we were working on 2 on-2 off behaviors so on Sunday I took the opportunity to shape and name it.  Our biggest problem? - she should rather bow than lay down!  She'll bow and I'll ask her - "Uh oh! what happened to your back end??????" She's just starting to show hind in awareness and having her switch on verbal command between down, sit, bow, stand is good practice. 

This picture is Tess playing "Yer Choice" with treats on paws.  Unfortunately she took the opportunity while I snapped the picture to eat the piece of kibble off of her left paw.  Definitely a naughty moment to record in the training log. 

Yer choice is one of those games that I have to work continuously - if I go a couple of days, or a week without reinforcing it, she regresses.  Impulse control is a HUGE part of Tess's training and personality, so I'm not surprised that this is one of our top priority games. 

Did you notice where these pictures were taken?  In a parking lot.  I got to school early, parked and decided to have an improtue play session behind the car, and try to catch up on some show off photos.  Training can happen anytime, anywhere.  By training in as many different locations, I'm teaching my puppy that I am the most exciting thing and all good things come from me - no matter where we are.  On our way to the lecture building, 10 minutes after these photos were taken, we had a good tug/play/fetch session. 

How do I know that she was interested and engaged?  For the first time today, I didn't have to use the gentle leader to walk her form the parking lot to the lecture building - flat collar only and no pulling!  It's a miracle!.....or maybe she enjoyed the spontaneity. 

I just finished an article on working with high energy/high prey drive dogs and an important concept to integrate into the training sessions is unpredictability and spontaneity.  This is hard - I'm a very organized, "plan-ahead" person that easily falls into a rut of what I do where.....I literally have to plan ahead for spontaneity - but Tess doesn't have to know that - she just knows that this morning she got to eat her breakfast in the parking lot, and then played with her favorite toy on the lawn while walking to school - 2 things that had never happened before.