What Would Liz Say?

I walked Wilbur on a long lead in the little woods near the house. He loves free walks, and I love letting him be a dog. I work him a little, in the woods - wait, don't, and sits when people come by - but basically we walk and I let him explore. I think if everything is forbidden, it becomes attractive; so I let him snoot, but bring him along when I want him to catch up, or change direction and follow me.

I over-think things. Or I don't think things through enough. Both. But whenever I come to a dog-training question, I think of asking Liz Catalano, who is a keen and accomplished trainer.

But then I think, I can't ask Liz, because if I ask her every training question, I would have to put her on speed-dial. And I like her too much to harass her in such a way.

And then I think, "What would Liz say?"

And that is how I answer most of my dog training questions. I go through a good part of the day, thinking, "What would Liz say?"

Today, this was my imaginary conversation with Liz, in the forest:

Ellen: Liz, I have a question.

Liz: Yes, my dear. You are my favorite student, and Wilbur is the best dog I ever saw.

E: (Blushing, but immensely proud) Thank you, Liz. But here is my question. I don't have a fenced-in back yard. So I can't run Wilbur, or play with him the way I would like, unless we go to a friend's, for a pup-play date.

L: How do you sufficiently exercise him every day?

E: (Blushing, ashamed) I walk him. And I intersperse short training. I do try to make it fun. But I can't always run him, or throw a ball.

L: Is there a tennis court, or playground near you? You can make sure it's empty and safely enclosed, and play in there.

E: Oh! Of course! But what do you do when it rains? And you are indoors all day, no walks, no plays?

L: Isn't Wilbur training to be a Service Dog?

E: Yes....

L: Can't you take him into stores?

E: Yes....

L: Remember the other day, when you were training Wilbur in Shop-Rite having an imaginary conversation with me, and you remarked that working Wilbur in the store, especially in a supermarket, is very intense but fun training, and he is exhausted after?

E: (Light bulb over my head) Yes! It was exercise for him! Of course! So on a rainy day, or any day, to really exercise him, we can train in a store! And I am supposed to be doing that, anyway, now he's six months old!

L: (Smiles, but not like I am an idiot, more like I am grasshopper.) You are learning.

E: I have another question.

L: Oh, good!

E: I walk Wilbur on a 20 foot long lead sometimes. I work on his attention, on waits, and heres with the long lead.

L: You make me so proud.

E: Thank you. But the lead drags under him, and trips him. Do you think I can use a flexi-lead?

L: How stupid are you? Of course not. Duh. He weighs over 50 pounds. Didn't I see him run on the lead and pull it out of your hand the other day? He'd snap a flexi-lead. Sheesh, what an idiot.

E: OK, I got it, no flexi-lead. It was just a question.

L: Well, I am getting tired of your questions, even though I am only in your mind. That's how annoying you are. That's why I don't give you my phone number.

The Blog That Never Was: Raising John Wilbur Conner

It is just over four months since Wilbur came into my life. His age is now measured in months instead of weeks, and he has emerged as his own "person."

He is six months old.

His progress impresses me, and is more a testimony to CCI breeding than my skills as a trainer. He learns things very easily. Any bad habits are minor and easily fixed with consistent training. He is very cheerful.

A recap:

It seems, somewhere between 16 - 18 weeks, he learned his name. Like overnight. I did work on his name as I was taught in dog training, but for Wilbur's first three and a half months I thought he was deaf, and I worried that he would think his name was "Don't!" (the general CCI correction for anything). He learned "Drop" readily, as he had to do it all day. Sticks, rocks, cat toys, basically anything in his path, except a toy. Now, with the command "Drop," he actually projectile spits the item from his mouth.

He does an automatic wait at the bottom and top of the stairs, and has stopped chasing the cats. We are working on Petra's chickens, which he did find fascinating, but resisted in a sit/don't.

He waits on command at doorways and out of the car. I have to be more consistent, and then he will do it automatically. (See, it's me, I need the training.)

He lets me cut his nails!!! This after not letting me touch his feet!

The most impressive thing to me is what happens when I put his CCI gold puppy vest on and take him into a store. He turns into a service dog, totally focused and behaved. It amazes me. He disappears by my side, stops when I stop, waits, comes along with a "Let's go."

Things I have to work on:

1. He jumps and licks. Working on that.
2. Roll. He rolls all the time, but not on command. My bad.
3. Heel and side. Should be a piece of cake. Especially if I offer him cake!
4. Better manners in food situations at friends' houses. Tough one, that.
5. Dress into the halti. (Does any pup actually walk into a gentle leader or halti? Come on.)
6. Being more gentle taking treats.
7. Fetch. He is a lab that does not retrieve. What is up with that?
8. Most important: Recall. He comes with a "Here," but I have not really trained in an open, distracting area.

Now that camp is over, I look forward to taking him to more classes, working him and also going for those long walks I love. We can't do the Swamp now (the mosquitoes land on us like a net) so I am going to Jockey Hollow instead.

In Jockey Hollow today, on a long lead, he kept checking on me and doing a "wait" 9 out of 10 times when he was 5-10 feet ahead of me. Next to me he will pretty much stick to me, if working. He did his own roll today, and I rubbed his belly, and I thought about how good he is, how easy to train, and I thought I saw his future.