Forgot the most important part

I was so tired when posting yesterday, I forgot the most important part! There are things we know, but don't always remember, and we have to learn them again or in new circumstances.

With the work on Zane going out to touch and then sit. . . at first he kept wanting to walk back to me before sitting. But where was I rewarding him? From my hand! No wonder he wanted to walk back to me. So I started placing his reward behind the target, and gee, he started staying out there to sit. Where you place your rewards is vital!

Of course, when we did the exercise this morning, I had to relearn that again. Sometimes I'm a little slower than the dog.


I learned that Zane's sister also boings out to the dumbbell. I think Beth slipped some kangaroo or jack rabbit genes into this litter. That has to be why they're so boingy.

We also worked signals this morning. I didn't move any farther than 6 feet away as he's not ready for more distance. And I have to watch those sits. From the down to the sit, I want those front feet pushing back, not the back feet coming forward. I will also accept something else he does - popping straight up so all feet move in to the middle. It's almost like he jumps straight up from a down. But the movement of the back feet coming forward tends to make dogs move forward on the sit, and I do not want that. Move back and maintain your distance is what I'm looking for.