With three a lot more days left in our challenge, I better get going.
Ace will now do all five commands. The problem is he only does them … sometimes. and he won’t do them all in a row. He needs a lot a lot more work (probably another month), but at least we are off to a good start.
The hardest part of this challenge is just sticking with it. I want to give up if Ace doesn’t pick up on something ideal away. but it takes time for a pet dog to learn something new, and it’s not fair to the pet dog to expect him to learn something too fast.
With the command bang, Ace will do it about 60 percent of the time. The other 40 percent, he either waits until I repeat the command (bad training on my part) or I have to just put him on his side and then he stays. He still has issues with his head popping ideal back up (he doesn’t want to miss what’s going on) and the tail is always wagging. Dead dogs don’t wag their tails, Ace!
Ace likes to crawl now! but he likes to keep his back end up so he can step quicker. I’ve been keeping my hand on his back to get him to crawl really low. We have a low coffee table that I must have him crawl under because that would require him to keep his butt down.
We haven’t practiced “bucket” outside with a ball in a long time, but he’s been bringing and dropping his toys in a bucket indoors. It still seems like it hasn’t fully clicked in that pet dog brain, though. If he understood, wouldn’t he do it ideal all the time?
Same opts for “go long.” He will do it sometimes. I don’t think he fully understands. Or maybe he just thinks I’m a sucker and will throw the ball when he’s just standing there ideal next to me. After all, that’s what I’ve done for a year and a half.
And as for roll over, I think it is finally starting to click. He does it outside now whenever I ask. but inside he gets confused because that’s where we’ve practiced crawl and bang. So when I say “roll over,” he crawls. This morning, though, he rolled over on command two times in a row. That’s the first time he’s done it ideal indoors.
So, we’re getting somewhere, but slowly. Whatever it is you are working on with your dog, keep at it.
Today is day 27 of my 30-day challenge to show my pet dog five new commands. To see my other 30-day challenge posts, click here.
