Dino's first class for basic obedience.
We had our first class, but only I went to it. Dino stayed home because this was all instructions of what kind of training it will be. The class is run by Vicki Ronchette, who owns Braveheart Dog Training. The class is at the San Lorenzo Park in one of the buildings. The training is all clicker and treats, which Dino already knows. On this past Monday I took him out onto the sidewalk on Walpert and we worked walking on a loose leash and learning the heel position. I will be doing things differently with Dino that I did with Scout because Dino is younger and I will be teaching him the obedience exercises. I will do both UKC and Mixed Breed and ASCA obedience. Was a lot looser with Scout because I knew would only be doing Rally.
We got a sheet of a bunch of homework exercises to do with treats and the clicker.
Dino in His Draft Cart in test in San Francisco
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Friday, February 9, 2007
Scared of the Umbrella
It was raining on 2/9 and I took both dogs out for a quick walk. I used the umbrella and Dino acted like he had never seen it before. I thought he had. Maybe at night when it wasn't such a big deal. Anyway, out in the parking lot he bolted taking the leash with him. I had Scout in one hand and the umbrella in the other. I had to put them both down in the wind and rain to try to get him back. He ran so fast that I couldn't see where he ran. We were in front of the office and he ran down to where the car was. That is probably why he ran down there. He is familiar with that area. By the time I set the umbrella down and put Scout in a sit, I went to find him, but I couldn't see him. I finally found him and he ran toward me, but when I did that he ran leash through a huge mud puddle, which got me mad. I shouldn't have but I got mad. He came to me but I was firm with him instead of being happy like I should have been. We continued the walk.
On the way back I decided to try again to do it better. I showed him the umbrella, opening it and closing it . Again he bolted. He ran under the cars. I called him, but he wouldn't come. I went to him and brought him back. I let the leash go again and tried again. This time he went to go see Dixie who was walking by. I went to him and brought him back. I let the leash go again and he went up to where the 1022 building is. I went to him, but I couldn't catch him. Then he turned it into a "catch me" game and was running around. He ran down to the garbage area. Meanwhile Scout is sitting in the pouring rain. I decided to leave him alone and bring Scout back inside. I saw Dino run back to me when he saw I wasn't chasing him, I brought Scout back and went to find Dino. He was running back toward me and ran to the office when he saw Michelle. I brought him back to the original spot. I let him go again. This time he ran back to 1022 up to the top of the stairs. He saw I wasn't chasing him. I walked back to my apartment and he ran back toward me. I praised him for coming back and then I did it again. He ran back toward the cars. I turned and went back to my apartment. He ran back toward me. I praised him and did it again. He ran back to the cars and stopped to look at some people. This time I didn't say anything. I just turned and walked away. He followed and came back. I praised him and ended it there.
On the way back I decided to try again to do it better. I showed him the umbrella, opening it and closing it . Again he bolted. He ran under the cars. I called him, but he wouldn't come. I went to him and brought him back. I let the leash go again and tried again. This time he went to go see Dixie who was walking by. I went to him and brought him back. I let the leash go again and he went up to where the 1022 building is. I went to him, but I couldn't catch him. Then he turned it into a "catch me" game and was running around. He ran down to the garbage area. Meanwhile Scout is sitting in the pouring rain. I decided to leave him alone and bring Scout back inside. I saw Dino run back to me when he saw I wasn't chasing him, I brought Scout back and went to find Dino. He was running back toward me and ran to the office when he saw Michelle. I brought him back to the original spot. I let him go again. This time he ran back to 1022 up to the top of the stairs. He saw I wasn't chasing him. I walked back to my apartment and he ran back toward me. I praised him for coming back and then I did it again. He ran back toward the cars. I turned and went back to my apartment. He ran back toward me. I praised him and did it again. He ran back to the cars and stopped to look at some people. This time I didn't say anything. I just turned and walked away. He followed and came back. I praised him and ended it there.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Learning to Stand for Grooming
I have been teaching Dino stand which has come in handy to grooming him, which he does not like at all. He is very sensitive to having the brush on him. He was doing fine just having me hold him and then he would stand on his own. but he didn't want to to do that today. He stood for a couple of minutes, but then sat down. I figured I could put together his stand with the treat to standing for grooming. That seemed to work well and it helped for him to put the two things together.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Dino's First Two Weeks - January 9, 2007
Well, the first two weeks were pretty intense with Dino.
When I got Dino he had the name of Sparky. That was a variation of Spooky which is the name the owners had when they turned him in. I had thought keeping the name until I realized how many dogs had that name, including Charlie. I decided on Dino, after Dean Martin. I had like that name for a long time. I realize it is ethnic and unusual, but it really fits him. It is short and quick.
When Georgette brought him to Hayward, to my apartment, Dino had a small abscess on his left side. She pointed it out and said to keep an eye on it. Well, it got bigger over the next couple of days, which were Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Tuesday, I called Irvington and told them. I was able to get a 5 PM appointment. When I brought Dino in, he was not letting anybody take his temperature or touch him. I tried to put a muzzle on him, and he said "No" and fought and freaked out. We had to reschedule for Thursday and I got some tranquilizer and I took the muzzle home to practice with a clicker to put it on.
The next day we worked many times with the clicker and I had him putting his nose into the muzzle and keeping it there for several seconds.
On Thursday morning I gave him the Ace pill and brought the muzzle. I got the muzzle on him and brought him in. At the end of the day I went back to pick him up and head the big E collar on him and four nasty drains in him. Earlier in the day I called Georgette to tell her about the price of $500 to do the surgery and blood test. She OK'd the price since they would be paying for it. Later in the day I got a call from Karen, their bookkeeper at GDR and I gave her the number for Irvington and she paid for it over the phone with them. What a relief not to have to deal with paying for it and having to wait for reimbursement!
The next few days were pretty rough because Dino wanted to keep chewing on the area and it was draining pretty badly and it hurt and it itched. We made it through to Tuesday and having the drains removed that AM. I had the tranquilizer and used the muzzle again, and at the end of the appointment Dr. Rue had me take the muzzle off and Dino went right up to her and sat next to her. It was pretty cute!
The next few days he kept licking the area where the drains were and they slowly closed up. He was still taking the antibiotics to help heal the area. By Saturday we went to the CV dog park and he was able to run around and let loose. He seemed pretty happy.
What a rough few days. Luckily I was home because I couldn't put him in the crate because of the E collar and I couldn't do much training with him because he was so distracted by the draining and collar. We just had to do day-to-day stuff.
I got a halter for him because he is such a puller and oblivious to me. This time there was a DVD that showed how to properly fit it, how to train with it and how to use the leash. They didn't have that when I got the halter for Scout. I learned that I had it too loose and how to make it righter, which really makes a difference so it is not sliding all over his head and face. I even made Scout's tighter around the head because her's was always slipping side to side.
I started to teach Dino how to stand with a clicker. I have to take his photos, but I will need to do it on my own. I can use my film camera and my tripod. Since I have the scanner to email them to Grateful Dogs. He is picking up on it very quickly. I started to add "stand" on the third lesson, and he was responding. Add the hand signal.
When I got Dino he had the name of Sparky. That was a variation of Spooky which is the name the owners had when they turned him in. I had thought keeping the name until I realized how many dogs had that name, including Charlie. I decided on Dino, after Dean Martin. I had like that name for a long time. I realize it is ethnic and unusual, but it really fits him. It is short and quick.
When Georgette brought him to Hayward, to my apartment, Dino had a small abscess on his left side. She pointed it out and said to keep an eye on it. Well, it got bigger over the next couple of days, which were Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Tuesday, I called Irvington and told them. I was able to get a 5 PM appointment. When I brought Dino in, he was not letting anybody take his temperature or touch him. I tried to put a muzzle on him, and he said "No" and fought and freaked out. We had to reschedule for Thursday and I got some tranquilizer and I took the muzzle home to practice with a clicker to put it on.
The next day we worked many times with the clicker and I had him putting his nose into the muzzle and keeping it there for several seconds.
On Thursday morning I gave him the Ace pill and brought the muzzle. I got the muzzle on him and brought him in. At the end of the day I went back to pick him up and head the big E collar on him and four nasty drains in him. Earlier in the day I called Georgette to tell her about the price of $500 to do the surgery and blood test. She OK'd the price since they would be paying for it. Later in the day I got a call from Karen, their bookkeeper at GDR and I gave her the number for Irvington and she paid for it over the phone with them. What a relief not to have to deal with paying for it and having to wait for reimbursement!
The next few days were pretty rough because Dino wanted to keep chewing on the area and it was draining pretty badly and it hurt and it itched. We made it through to Tuesday and having the drains removed that AM. I had the tranquilizer and used the muzzle again, and at the end of the appointment Dr. Rue had me take the muzzle off and Dino went right up to her and sat next to her. It was pretty cute!
The next few days he kept licking the area where the drains were and they slowly closed up. He was still taking the antibiotics to help heal the area. By Saturday we went to the CV dog park and he was able to run around and let loose. He seemed pretty happy.
What a rough few days. Luckily I was home because I couldn't put him in the crate because of the E collar and I couldn't do much training with him because he was so distracted by the draining and collar. We just had to do day-to-day stuff.
I got a halter for him because he is such a puller and oblivious to me. This time there was a DVD that showed how to properly fit it, how to train with it and how to use the leash. They didn't have that when I got the halter for Scout. I learned that I had it too loose and how to make it righter, which really makes a difference so it is not sliding all over his head and face. I even made Scout's tighter around the head because her's was always slipping side to side.
I started to teach Dino how to stand with a clicker. I have to take his photos, but I will need to do it on my own. I can use my film camera and my tripod. Since I have the scanner to email them to Grateful Dogs. He is picking up on it very quickly. I started to add "stand" on the third lesson, and he was responding. Add the hand signal.
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