Obedience Training

Obedience Training

I have found it very difficult to find obedience training in N. Virginia.  It exists, but only only on evenings and weekends when my children have already filled up every spare second of my time with their activities.

I miss obedience training.  I miss learning to do new things with my dogs and I miss the homework.  I can also see some of our old training fade away due to a lack of practice and consistency.  I can see new habits beginning to develop.

So, we are trying something new - training in our home.  I did research and got recommendations and read references and chose Bark Busters.  They don’t call what they do obedience training.  They call it leadership training.  They base everything on the Alpha Dog concept and I liked that, so I chose them.  No treats and no punishment and no hanging my dog up by the neck so that they can’t breath.  I still can’t get over that one!

Our first training session was Tuesday and it was about 3 1/2 hours long.  The training was based on  making sure that we are in charge, not the dogs, and it uses a made-up word, Bah.

We got to make our own wish list and set our own priorities, which is nice.  Our first projects were door greeting and barking.  Lee gave us bean bags with shaky metal insides and water bottles, and we did drills.  He would come to the door in different disguises and ring the doorbell, the dogs would go crazy, we would throw the beanbag at the floor in front of them and say, “Bah”, and call them back to us, having them sit.  Then if they moved, they would get a discrete squirt.

I went the first couple times and Zee wanted nothing to do with the entire ordeal after one time.  He went and laid down in the kitchen eating area and didn’t bother answering the door or barking after the first doorbell ring.  Zuzu was curious about the whole thing, and seemed unphased, but was mostly listening.

Jim went next.  The doorbell rang and he threw the beanbag in front of Zu right as Zu turned and he beamed her right between the eyes!  I have never seen my husband lose control, but he started giggling and couldn’t stop!  He had to remove himself to the kitchen and I had to go ask Lee to start the exercise over after my husband had regained his composure.  It was hilarious!  I think even Zu was amused!

All of the other training was similar and based on getting their attention and correcting with a low bah.  Other simple tasks were to ignore them if they asked for attention, then give it to them later, and make sure that we always lead when walking anywhere....walks, doorways, stairs, etc.

He left, and told us to practice. EVERY day.  Yay!  (And I mean that, because I like practice.)

Day One

I say bah and Zee lowers his head and comes to me.

I say bah and Zuzu thinks I’m joining in and barks more.  I squirt, she snaps and the water and barks more.  I squirt again.  She throws her head towards the stream of water, barks more, throws her body at the window, barks more, looks at me, runs to another window, barks much much more!

Hmmm.

I stand tall, with my arms crossed, and look over her (like an alpha).  She prances up, nose butts me, barks at me, looks at me, nose butts me again, barks, bites the couch, mouths me, barks more.  (Repeat entire paragraph for at least five minutes.) Sits.  Looks.  Barks.  Yawns.  Sits.  Looks at me.  Growly grumbles, and lays down.

Okay.

I e-mail Lee and ask for an alternative to the water.  She loves it!  It is a giant game to catch the streams flying at her and Oh what fun it is to bark at them!  More!  More!  Bark!  Bark!  The house is now soaking wet and smells like dog.

He said to put a collar and leash on her (martingale, with a chain that can be snapped).  I do.  She goes to sleep for three hours.

Better.

She wakes up and Tressa and I decide to do outside drills.  These are kind of fun!  Disguises and water balloons!  Wahoo!

I got hats, scarves, jackets, sunglasses, and ran past the fence outside while Tressa waited with water balloons to distract and her bah at the ready.  Zuzu went CRAZY the first time I went by and Tress threw the water balloon at the fence and said bah.  She stopped, and then I’m pretty sure she realized it was me and didn’t bark any more.

She was either better the next three times, or she just wasn’t fooled by my many disguises after that.  Even when Tressa and I switched places, which is dangerous because I can’t throw or aim worth a darn, Zuzu seemed to know it was Tressa right away and just ran up to the fence, wagging her tail.

When Jim got home we worked on walking.  He has always wanted the dogs in a proper heel.  I have always disagreed.  I like them to be able to run around, doing their business, as long as they’re not pulling me as they do it.  Lee says they must be behind us because we are the alphas.  What a pain in the freakin’ ass!  But, I’m more obedient than my puppy, so we’re working on it.  Sigh.  They’re actually pretty good at it so far.  Grumble Grumble.

Day Two

We head down the stairs.  Zee takes off in front of me.  I say bah.  He stops mid-flight, turns around, comes back to me, and sits down.  (Who gave him the cheat sheet?)  Zuzu ran into Tressa’s room after the cat, completely ignoring us.  I went down the stairs first.  Zee followed when I said come.  Koshka ran down and Zuzu followed.  Success?  I think so.  :)  I'm counting it as a win.

The leash is working MUCH better than the water.  She doesn’t like the leash.  A quick snap and a bah and she actually barks a little less.  It’s not as much of a game as the water, and nowhere near as fun because she can’t run away and around me and attack different windows and doors.  Zee stops as soon as he hears my first, calm bah.  He looks at me with his big ‘I’m so sorry’ eyes and comes over to me.

The only thing Zee does not like is when he comes to me and asks for attention and I ignore him. He cries and gives a tiny yip and looks so sad!  I make sure to only wait a little bit before I give him love, and I give him love a lot when he’s not asking.  Zuzu is still demanding attention, and when I ignore her she barks and jumps on me, or claws me.  She’s way more annoying, so I don’t feel as bad, but I do make sure to love her when she’s not asking as well.  She’s not as impressed.  “Fine.  NOW you want to love me?  Whatever, Mom.”

So, we’ll keep on going.  Our next training is a week from tomorrow, then we head to Florida with both dogs.  And Zu’s in heat.  Pray for us!!