Glimmers of Hope

Little Reagan is offering glimmers of hope and is making some good progress. Frequent, but short training sessions are working well and she has been a little more motivated and is a tad more studious. I am so spoiled that Katie and Travis will just keep going and going with as much gusto as they start with. I am used to working with them for about 20 or more minutes at a time. When I work with them, I simply accomplish what I set out to do. With Reagan, I am limiting myself by only grabbing 10 treats and when I run out, I'm done. Or I throw the toy 2 or 3 times and then put it away while she is still geared up.

So as of now, Reagan will usually quickly sit and down from hand signals without being lured by food (she still gets a treat though). She is learning that I want her to step and stand on a dogwalk board. She appears to know her name when she is listening (that is the key :-). She comes when called. And she is offering to pick up the stuffy toy more frequently.... she even sort of retrieves.... sometimes.... might be just an accident :-). Today, I popped her over some little jumps and lured her through a chute without the fabric (very short, hard plastic tunnel). She also seems to be getting more comfortable with off-the-premises peeing. I've been loading her up on watery canned dog food broth before we go places so she really has no choice, but to finally go.

So I would say she has earned a couple of days.