Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 Yeah!!!!!!!!! Things are looking good! Jacquie H > Star's first day " on the job " today...and she was AWESOME! > > Our primary problem is that Mikey has no concept of danger and will dash > off. He also has very little receptive language so calling him does > nothing. When you chase him he thinks it's a game and laughs and runs > faster. We have used a leash with him & it works OK but things like getting > in and out of the car are still pretty hard, especially with Gabe. We want > Star to help us keep Mikey safe, and close to us. We decided to try > leashing them together. > > I found a leash that I can clip around Mikey's waist, and clip to Star's > harness. (Regular nylon harness...would like to get her a harness meant for > pulling...) She also wears a Halti (a head halter for dogs) & I hold a > leash to that. Well the kid was driving me nuts today so I decided to take > them for a trial run and see what happened. I had intended to do some more > training with Star and ease her into it, but I figured at worst I'd just > unhook them and go back inside. I carried Gabe in the sling. > > The first time Mikey pulled against her, Star went with him. I told her no, > come, and gave her a treat when she came. After that she obeyed me and > ignored his pulling. She was TOTALLY relaxed about it. It was no big deal > AT ALL. I am very impressed with her! > > We learned that leverage works against Star when she's sitting; Mikey can > pull her over backwards! (This is a 40 lb 2 year old pulling a 70 lb dog > over backwards. Which is precisely why we need a service dog. And a > pulling harness.) I was glad we had refreshed " stand and stay. " With her > feet under her she had no trouble holding him. > > Overall it went beautifully. Took more mental energy to keep track of a dog > and a kid and 2 leashes, but much less physical energy. Star did all the > physical work. I gave Star a command; she obeyed; Mikey came along. Hey, > maybe this will help his receptive language. > > Things to work on: > > -Positioning. At first I had Star in a heel, but Mikey kept crossing behind > me & tangling me in his leash. Then I had Star walk ahead of me in a " let's > go " but she is used to being able to sniff things and look around and walk > at her own pace as long as the lead stays loose; that's what " let's go " > means. So we will have to expand the " heel " rules to be " working " rules. > > -Starting speed. When we went from a stand & stay to let's go, Star pulled > Mikey abruptly and made him fall. So we worked on a " slowly " with me > directing her speed via my leash to her Halti. That worked very nicely, and > by the end of our walk she was watching Mikey when we started, so I think > she will be able to learn to walk without jerking him. > > -INSTANT " down " for leash tangles, Mikey falls, etc. Also currently her > " down " requires a hand signal and we need to extinguish that. Stand and > stay worked but down would have made some things easier. > > I really think this is going to work out quite well! I'm very excited!!! > =) And I'm so impressed with Star. She just did beautifully. She is > asleep in her crate now. " Whew, mom, that was hard work! " Don't I know it! > And I do it at least 8 times a week! > > Well I just thought I'd share. Thanks for being there. It's been quite > a week...both boys sick & nursing constantly; Mikey learned several annoying > new tricks; neither of them sleeping...but I thought you might enjoy an > update. > > -Sara, Mikey and Star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 > Well I just thought I'd share. Thanks for being there. It's been quite > a week...both boys sick & nursing constantly; Mikey learned several annoying > new tricks; neither of them sleeping...but I thought you might enjoy an > update. > I did! But I'm sorry you have the sick, nursing, clingy, whiney, not sleeping thing at your house. Feel better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 I'm really excited for you! It sounds as if this might really help you when you are out with both boys. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 >>>>Star's first day " on the job " today...and she was AWESOME! Our primary problem is that Mikey has no concept of danger and will dash off. He also has very little receptive language so calling him does nothing. When you chase him he thinks it's a game and laughs and runs faster.<<<< Wonderful! Sounds like you're off to a great start. is just like that, and I wish we could use a service animal, but he's 75 pounds already and terrified of dogs. So glad this is working for you. Tuna ===== When a person responds to the joys and sorrows of others as if they were his own, he has attained the highest state of spiritual union. -Bhagavad Gita 6:32 ______________________________________________________________________ Web-hosting solutions for home and business! http://website.yahoo.ca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 Glad yo here things are going so well with the training. Sorry the little ones are sick. is sick too. I sent the harness on Wednesday...should be there soon. Tamara --- The Byks wrote: > Star's first day " on the job " today...and she was > AWESOME! > > Our primary problem is that Mikey has no concept of > danger and will dash > off. He also has very little receptive language so > calling him does > nothing. When you chase him he thinks it's a game > and laughs and runs > faster. We have used a leash with him & it works OK > but things like getting > in and out of the car are still pretty hard, > especially with Gabe. We want > Star to help us keep Mikey safe, and close to us. > We decided to try > leashing them together. > > I found a leash that I can clip around Mikey's > waist, and clip to Star's > harness. (Regular nylon harness...would like to get > her a harness meant for > pulling...) She also wears a Halti (a head halter > for dogs) & I hold a > leash to that. Well the kid was driving me nuts > today so I decided to take > them for a trial run and see what happened. I had > intended to do some more > training with Star and ease her into it, but I > figured at worst I'd just > unhook them and go back inside. I carried Gabe in > the sling. > > The first time Mikey pulled against her, Star went > with him. I told her no, > come, and gave her a treat when she came. After > that she obeyed me and > ignored his pulling. She was TOTALLY relaxed about > it. It was no big deal > AT ALL. I am very impressed with her! > > We learned that leverage works against Star when > she's sitting; Mikey can > pull her over backwards! (This is a 40 lb 2 year > old pulling a 70 lb dog > over backwards. Which is precisely why we need a > service dog. And a > pulling harness.) I was glad we had refreshed > " stand and stay. " With her > feet under her she had no trouble holding him. > > Overall it went beautifully. Took more mental > energy to keep track of a dog > and a kid and 2 leashes, but much less physical > energy. Star did all the > physical work. I gave Star a command; she obeyed; > Mikey came along. Hey, > maybe this will help his receptive language. > > Things to work on: > > -Positioning. At first I had Star in a heel, but > Mikey kept crossing behind > me & tangling me in his leash. Then I had Star walk > ahead of me in a " let's > go " but she is used to being able to sniff things > and look around and walk > at her own pace as long as the lead stays loose; > that's what " let's go " > means. So we will have to expand the " heel " rules > to be " working " rules. > > -Starting speed. When we went from a stand & stay > to let's go, Star pulled > Mikey abruptly and made him fall. So we worked on a > " slowly " with me > directing her speed via my leash to her Halti. That > worked very nicely, and > by the end of our walk she was watching Mikey when > we started, so I think > she will be able to learn to walk without jerking > him. > > -INSTANT " down " for leash tangles, Mikey falls, etc. > Also currently her > " down " requires a hand signal and we need to > extinguish that. Stand and > stay worked but down would have made some things > easier. > > I really think this is going to work out quite well! > I'm very excited!!! > =) And I'm so impressed with Star. She just did > beautifully. She is > asleep in her crate now. " Whew, mom, that was hard > work! " Don't I know it! > And I do it at least 8 times a week! > > Well I just thought I'd share. Thanks for being > there. It's been quite > a week...both boys sick & nursing constantly; Mikey > learned several annoying > new tricks; neither of them sleeping...but I thought > you might enjoy an > update. > > -Sara, Mikey and Star. > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2002 Report Share Posted February 24, 2002 >>This sounds like it's really going to work wonderfully for you!<< I sure hope so!!! We've got a lot of work ahead of us but I think it's going to be worth it. I know I could not have managed that walk yesterday without her. Mikey is just too strong and too heavy. And it is soooo good for him to get out! Besides school and therapy we are really shut-ins. >>You are so lucky to have already owned a dog that you could train to work with him!<< I appreciate the sentiment here, but I just have to say this. Yes, we are lucky to have an adult dog who is large enough to do this physically; and we are lucky that she doesn't have the health problems common to her breeds. But luck has nothing to do with being able to train her. I have worked very hard with this dog from the day we got her in order to have a well-trained dog. She is actually very submissive, and when she was younger she would submissively urinate if you so much as looked at her. She barked at *everything* - she was scared of, well, everything! Trees. Sidewalks. Fire hydrants. Grass. Bark, bark, bark, bark! It took a LOT of hard work to build up her confidence and turn her into a calm, well-behaved dog. Overall she has turned into a wonderful dog -- but luck had nothing to do with that. Off my soapbox now. =) >>Continued good luck at this! Sorry to hear the boys aren't feeling well.<< Thanks! They're much better today. Mikey has a cough & I think it will hang around for awhile but they are feeling better anyway. Now if I can just keep him awake until bedtime... -Sara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2002 Report Share Posted February 24, 2002 Sara, This sounds like it's really going to work wonderfully for you! You are so lucky to have already owned a dog that you could train to work with him! Continued good luck at this! Sorry to hear the boys aren't feeling well. Sue ---------------------------------------------------- Sign Up for NetZero Platinum Today Only $9.95 per month! http://my.netzero.net/s/signup?r=platinum & refcd=PT97 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 25, 2002 Report Share Posted February 25, 2002 >>>>It took a LOT of hard work to build up her confidence and turn her into a calm, well-behaved dog. Overall she has turned into a wonderful dog -- but luck had nothing to do with that. <<<<< Could you come do my dog now? Penny ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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