Doggy brags
- Thread starter snowbunny
- Start date
- Location
- Close to Devon/Somerset border
Good to read @kateincornwall . You're doing so well with Reuben, isn't it great when a plan comes together? 
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
That's great @kateincornwall , well done to you and Reuben xx
- Location
- East Sussex
Brilliant @kateincornwall
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Fantastic @kateincornwall
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
@kateincornwall yay Reuben! That's a tough ask for any dog, let alone such a young one. 
Adding my own brag for Carbon. Today I took him down to run the Padstow harbour gauntlet. Normally there would be hundreds of dogs (or at least it seems like it) on a Sunday and way beyond Carbon's capacity, but today the weather is nasty so I figured it would be a great day for us.
I've been thinking a lot about what @snowbunny writes about setting your dog up for success and then @Beanwood was here for a couple days and we were talking about Carbon's motion/ball addiction. I mentioned that I thought it was so odd that he could let dogs pass by him if he was sitting that if we were walking by them he'd try to go for (he's dog reactive but very selectively so). Kate suggested just going down to the harbour and sitting there instead of trying to walk the gauntlet (the 2-3 narrow streets clogged with dogs around the harbour). Take away the motion = help set him up for success.
So what we did today was walk into town through the park, then sit on a bench at the core of the gauntlet and then walk back to the car through the calmer side streets. We met a Rottie face to face right off the bat in the car park and I thought "Uh oh, this is it."
But no, even though the Rottie's owner let her run right up to Carbon while I was trying to U-turn out of there, Carbon was a complete gentleman. The Rottie girl was a doll, too - that certainly helped.
Then when we got to a bench and just let dozens of dogs walk past us, Carbon was staring so hard at me (Zen eye contact game) that he barely even noticed the other dogs, even though a couple Westies even came up to sniff his backside! I was SO proud of him.
I realise that today is probably a bit of a fluke (he's still exhausted from playing with Benson for 2 days), but I'll take it as a step in the right direction!
Adding my own brag for Carbon. Today I took him down to run the Padstow harbour gauntlet. Normally there would be hundreds of dogs (or at least it seems like it) on a Sunday and way beyond Carbon's capacity, but today the weather is nasty so I figured it would be a great day for us.
I've been thinking a lot about what @snowbunny writes about setting your dog up for success and then @Beanwood was here for a couple days and we were talking about Carbon's motion/ball addiction. I mentioned that I thought it was so odd that he could let dogs pass by him if he was sitting that if we were walking by them he'd try to go for (he's dog reactive but very selectively so). Kate suggested just going down to the harbour and sitting there instead of trying to walk the gauntlet (the 2-3 narrow streets clogged with dogs around the harbour). Take away the motion = help set him up for success.
So what we did today was walk into town through the park, then sit on a bench at the core of the gauntlet and then walk back to the car through the calmer side streets. We met a Rottie face to face right off the bat in the car park and I thought "Uh oh, this is it."
But no, even though the Rottie's owner let her run right up to Carbon while I was trying to U-turn out of there, Carbon was a complete gentleman. The Rottie girl was a doll, too - that certainly helped. Then when we got to a bench and just let dozens of dogs walk past us, Carbon was staring so hard at me (Zen eye contact game) that he barely even noticed the other dogs, even though a couple Westies even came up to sniff his backside! I was SO proud of him.
I realise that today is probably a bit of a fluke (he's still exhausted from playing with Benson for 2 days), but I'll take it as a step in the right direction!
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
....and I bet it wasn’t - well done Carbón and @Emily_Babbelhund
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Well done Carbon and @Emily_Babbelhund xx I realised on our last visit to you that I had set Reuben up to fail , it was too much for him , so since then I have tried hard like you , to set him up for success ! Carbon is a lovely dog , and I can honestly see the difference in him from when I first met him to now , bless x
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Well done @Emily_Babbelhund and Carbon excellent work
Beanwood
Administrator
Well done both of you! I found Carbon's "Zen stare with complete focus on you, very impressive! I also think having the Benson visit, raiding picnics....tables.... and gulping a whole slice of quiche in one fell swoop before finishing with a posh glasses case as a toothpick! Kinda put things in perspective, we have no excuse he is FIVE for heaven's sake!!!
I found Carbon's "Zen stare with complete focus on you, very impressive! I also think having the Benson visit, raiding picnics....tables.... and gulping a whole slice of quiche in one fell swoop before finishing with a posh glasses case as a toothpick! Kinda put things in perspective, we have no excuse he is FIVE for heaven's sake!!!
- Location
- Essex, U.K.
Good boy Reuben and well done Carbon too
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Not that I don't love Benson 100% and would take him in an instant...
...but I did kind of give Carbon some extra cuddles yesterday for not trying to eat the pillows.
- Location
- South Wales
So on our walk today, we met two other dog walkers (that we don't know), each with two dogs. First two spaniels: one ran up to say hi to Pongo, and he said hello back politely; the one spaniel was barky and snarly and Pongo got the message and backed off appropriately. I had a nice chat with the owner (who was unnecessarily apologising for his dog), then we went our separate ways and Pongo trotted off nicely with me. Second, two Labradors: all three dogs said hello calmly, then we went on and Pongo trotted away nicely with me without a backward glance.
Perhaps only members of the Severnside Walkies Pack will understand why this is a real Doggy Brag for me. Not that I've trained any of this, it just shows that the Pongster can behave really well sometimes. I think maybe he is growing up.
Perhaps only members of the Severnside Walkies Pack will understand why this is a real Doggy Brag for me. Not that I've trained any of this, it just shows that the Pongster can behave really well sometimes. I think maybe he is growing up.
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
While I'm here , a brag for Carbon. @Beanwood taught us a great game that gets him engaging with a dummy without triggering Carbon's "moving squeaking stuff" addiction:
The first time we tried this, I had zero faith that Carbon would remember the 30 seconds back where I hid the dummy. But he did it first time out! Subsequent tries, having Kate and Benson to distract him proved a little difficult and his straight line wasn't too straight, but he still managed to get the dummy back.
Now we are doing this nearly every day. I don't have to use the lead anymore or a food lure to keep him from pouncing on the dummy when I hide it. Yesterday we tried it with Carbon on a down stay while I walked off to 'hide' the dummy by myself, then walk back to him and send him for the dummy. He did first time, no wavering on his down stay. He loves it and it burns his energy but doesn't leave him hyped up afterwards like chasing games do.
Thank you, @Beanwood !
, a brag for Carbon. @Beanwood taught us a great game that gets him engaging with a dummy without triggering Carbon's "moving squeaking stuff" addiction: - Walk with dog and dummy to edge of field
- Drop dummy with dog watching (but don't let dog have dummy)
- Walk back across field
- Send dog to retrieve dummy
- Reward dog with treat when dog brings dummy back
The first time we tried this, I had zero faith that Carbon would remember the 30 seconds back where I hid the dummy. But he did it first time out! Subsequent tries, having Kate and Benson to distract him proved a little difficult and his straight line wasn't too straight, but he still managed to get the dummy back.
Now we are doing this nearly every day. I don't have to use the lead anymore or a food lure to keep him from pouncing on the dummy when I hide it. Yesterday we tried it with Carbon on a down stay while I walked off to 'hide' the dummy by myself, then walk back to him and send him for the dummy. He did first time, no wavering on his down stay. He loves it and it burns his energy but doesn't leave him hyped up afterwards like chasing games do.
Thank you, @Beanwood !
Merlin and Poppy met a TINY little rescue dog today, about the size of a Yorkshire terrier (though actually a mixed breed). In particular I was thrilled with Merlin, who despite being about 10 times this little dog’s size, was so gentle and friendly and nice. I was filled with pride, and my bubble was only slightly burst when the woman asked me if he was a Rhodesian Ridgeback. No, no, he’s a Labrador...
Excellent!! We’ll have you on the Gundog Training threads yet, @Emily_Babbelhund!!While I'm here
- Walk with dog and dummy to edge of field
- Drop dummy with dog watching (but don't let dog have dummy)
- Walk back across field
- Send dog to retrieve dummy
- Reward dog with treat when dog brings dummy back
The first time we tried this, I had zero faith that Carbon would remember the 30 seconds back where I hid the dummy. But he did it first time out! Subsequent tries, having Kate and Benson to distract him proved a little difficult and his straight line wasn't too straight, but he still managed to get the dummy back.
Now we are doing this nearly every day. I don't have to use the lead anymore or a food lure to keep him from pouncing on the dummy when I hide it. Yesterday we tried it with Carbon on a down stay while I walked off to 'hide' the dummy by myself, then walk back to him and send him for the dummy. He did first time, no wavering on his down stay. He loves it and it burns his energy but doesn't leave him hyped up afterwards like chasing games do.
Thank you, @Beanwood !
Beanwood
Administrator
What a brilliant post @Emily_Babbelhund! Sounds like you have found a game where Carbon can employ all his senses without triggering over- arousal, plus both of you having such fun! 
Impressed that you are managing this off lead!
Impressed that you are managing this off lead!
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Wait...what??!! Is Kate making me do gun dog stuff without me knowing it? Tricky, tricky!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Otherwise known as a "memory retrieve".
Umm....Wait...what??!! Is Kate making me do gun dog stuff without me knowing it? Tricky, tricky!
Great game, I wonder how she came up with it all by herself!!