M&M Graduated Dog School!

Yeah M&M... our first "child" to graduate!

She went through all 8 weeks of training from PetSmart and she has improved so much from when she started. I know I started to document what she did every week, but I'm sure you really didn't care. :-)

The biggest improvement that I'm most proud of... I can actually get her gentle leader on and control her when we walk.

We still need to work on "stay" and "drop it". But all with time as everything else.

She's also learned a few tricks. She can shake and roll over!

I was really impressed with the training. Our instructor actually had her dog there so she would demonstrate what we were to do and the correct behavior. We had a substitute one day and she didn't have a dog. Glad we didn't have her the whole 8 weeks I think it would have been difficult.

Here's our instructor with her dog.

Dog Training - Week 2

Yesterday was the second class for M&M. She was better behaved than the 1st week, I think because we learned how to control her a bit more with treats. And she's pretty much done shedding so that was nice as well.

This week we learned to "sit" and to walk on the leash. Tomorrow I'll practice with her on the sitting and then I'll try and muster up the courage to walk her by myself. Mr. M is out of town, again, and so this might be a small challenge.

We did find out that we were putting her dog leash thing on wrong. I think she'll feel much better and react a bit better with it on right.

And one of the older couples in there gave us a great suggestion on how to keep her from digging under the fence to get out. Cayenne Pepper! They said to make it to a tea like substance, so it's not soo strong, and then spray it on the fence. I guess it doesn't hurt to try it.

The trainer also mentioned creating a separate digging area just for M&M out of a kiddie pool and different type of dirt than what we have in the yard. I had actually read about creating a separate digging area but I don't recall them saying to use a different type of dirt than what we have. Although it really makes sense, you don't want to use the same dirt so she doesn't think the whole yard is for her to dig in!

~ Wolf Lover Girl

Doggie Lessons - Day 1

Finally!!! We had our first day at doggie school! How interesting was that. M&M is still shedding so there was hair everywhere... in my car, on our clothes and in the store.

Of course when she saw us get out the leash she was hyper. It was so hard to get her to be still while were there. M&M was by far the biggest dog there. The instructor has her dog there as a "model" of how to do things and her dog is a little big.

The things we learned today: We laid down and get the dog used to being touched everywhere - the mouth, ears, legs, tail - so that when they go to the vet they won't be so ancy. The second thing was for them to "watch" us. Basically get them to watch/look at you and they get a treat if they do it well. I'm sure this is so we can get them to watch us and then we'll do another command such as sit later.

After class we took M&M to the dog park since it was one of the first nicest days in a long time. There was this hound dog that was there and he was kind of picking fights on other dogs. And that bark is just so distinguishing. She was in heaven.

We got home and let her out in the backyard and she finally laid down and went to sleep. I think she enjoyed her day (okay, maybe not the training so much hee hee)

~ Wolf Lover Girl