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Posted on 06/28/2006 10:14:11 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
New verse:
Upon the hearth the fire is red, |
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Still round the corner there may wait |
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Home is behind, the world ahead, |
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LOL!
Well, at one time I'd been to every trainer in town and knew all of them. I took Logan to visit every class I could find to get him over his issue.
I'd call down to the Dog God in Centralia and see if he's doing classes, but I don't know if you really ~need~ him enough to be worth that drive, it really doesn't matter, with Cisco, which trainer you go to. He's easy, just needs focus and exposure to a class environment.
It's a good thing there's no one within listening distance at the moment. LOL!
Least I managed to avoid spewing coffee at the 'puter.
The main trouble with Cisco is that he gets overwhelmed...and I'm not sure how much of that is an act and how much is real. Maybe a class would help me figure that out.
One thing that makes me suspicious is that afterwards he often remembers what it was I was trying to teach him, though at the time he wouldn't do it for anything.
Hm. :-\
Just perfect.
Well, I think Cisco's act is 95% avoidance. "If I act completely pathetic will you not put any more pressure on me?"
That doesn't mean you don't have to work through it, it just means I wouldn't be snowed by it. He's just always had it work for him before. Whatever you do, don't feel sorry for him, when he's actually abused, he'll know it - ;~)
It's just...how do you teach a dog to sit when he's flat on the ground and won't get up, and trying to PROP him up results in him going limp as a wet rag and rolling over on his back?
Sit isn't a good example anymore, really, as he has that down. But any other commands that require moving or standing...it's hard to teach him.
At least he knows the basics - outside of a high pressure environment. He knows sit, down, stay, heel, come...those kinds of things. That'll make a class easier. But even so...there may be interesting moments.
I don't so much feel sorry for him as I get too angry with him to continue. Doesn't do either of us any good. *sigh*
But like I said, generally *afterwards*, I'll give a command without thinking about it, and he'll do exactly what he was pretending not to understand the day before. *rolls eyes*
It's really hard to deal with, Zulu was that way, she'd come apart if she got stressed and she'd be useless. But I figured out she was playing me.
With Cisco, I'd just get him up and walk. Move him, snap him out of that rolling over behavior and try it again.... but don't let him end the pressure by rolling over.
It's not sinister, his motives, he just responds to pressure by completely avoiding it. It's a pretty normal low-man behavior in a normal dog pack.
In a sense... strong stubborn personalities like Gidget and Logan are a lot easier, because they can take the pressure of the lesson, it's a matter of taking them down just enough to do it, which is easier than picking them up.
Well...he's gotten better. And he's almost pathetically pleased when he's finally doing what I want him to do and he gets it that he's doing right.
Which is why I think he'd *love* agility, once he understood everything...and it'll take a lot of patience to work through each obstacle. He's brighter than any dog I've ever had and more eager to please.
The walking idea is a good one.
I suppose you're trying not to think of this just in case...but did you guys have a name picked out?
Yeah, although Ramius doesn't like the choices.
The girls liked Jasmine, but I wanted to claim a LOTR name - so I was going to call her Galadriel (Gallie for short).
How about Lobelia?
Heh...
I kinda like some of the more hobbity names, like Bella or Ruby or Daisy. Heh...I'd name a gal dog Rosie, but it'd just confuse us both.
You'd hafta really dislike a pet to name it Lobelia. :-D
But, we'll see. Most times, they kinda name themselves.
No call back yet from the PM company. ~sigh~
*considers Elanor if we get her*
I like that!
I like spam!
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