October Goals
September Progress:
1. Get Vito ready for the obedience ring- I did have several people practice his stand for exam and that went great during his debut at Toller Nationals! I also wanted to work on his recall and while he didn't actually step on my feet at the trial, he came pretty near close and definitely did a hop stop!
2. Running Contacts- I wanted to recommit myself to practicing his turns of the dogwalk and I would say this was only a little success. I didn't practice as much as I wanted to and I didn't get rid of the stick in the ground at the bottom to help him turn. But his running contacts are looking gorgeous without any turns, and really good if he has a stick to go around for the turns. Without the stick we're still hit and miss.
3. Scent Articles- A win!!! I have been working the almost every day again and Lance is doing great! We're starting with the leather first now and that has made a world of difference in his confidence for the first article. We rarely have any mistakes or any staring at me anymore!
4. Chuck- I wanted to do tricks. Well I still didn't do a whole lot with him, but he did get his CGC yesterday!!!! On the trick department, he is getting pretty good at crossing his paws with a target and is starting to do a backward circle.
5. Bonuses- It wasn't a goal, but I started doing a lot more work with Vito and the frisbee this past month! He is starting to understand the back stall and I am just starting to get off the floor when using treats as the reward. Vito is also learning to do the stall when I have a disc out, but I am still kneeling.
I also am starting to teach him the reverse chest vault. Right now we are using an exercise ball and having him jump on and reverse off to get a thrown treat.
October Goals:
1. Heeling- Work on Lance's forging with the new treat position as mentioned in the last post. With Vito I want to work on fast time (stay with me buddy!) and turns as that apparently is where we had issues at the trial!
2. Disc- I want to progress to a nice back stall even when the frisbee is out. I want to start doing the reverse chest vault on me!
3. Scent Articles- sigh. yeah I still want to do these several times a week.
4. Retrieve- I want to work on Vito coming in for a straight and close front with his dumbbell. Currently he tends to sit a little far away for my liking and not always so straight.
