Since the day I picked up Mr Mav, I have worked to give him the foundation I didn't give Cinder. Every day we have our training sessions, nothing sexy, just working on our foundation. All of this has taken place either in my home or in the hall way of my building. One cookie at a time. Repeating it over and over - always taking small steps - putting money in the bank.
Since coming home from Calgary I have still been home sick on the couch and I was feeling bad for Mr Mav because he hasn't had a good chance to go for a run (we have been doing laps in the hallway to burn off steam). When the sun came out this afternoon, I took the opportunity to take Cinder and Mr Mav to the park.
I wasn't sure how Mr Mav would behave - but he was wonderful. The three of us walked nicely down the walk way to a field where no one else was around. Mav stayed right by my side the entire time. It was so cool to see him right at my left or right as we walked around the field. All of that time I spent working on the reinforcement zone was paying off! He was in perfect heal position.
I wanted to see what would happen so I look him off lead and let him play with Cinder. He had done his recalls very well on lead and I had every intention of putting him back on lead if he even hesitated to come to me when called. But every single time I called him name, Mr Mav came running back to me. Every since time - and it was immediate!
Then another dog came walking by and Cinder and took off to see the dog with Mr Mav following him. I called Mr Mav and he immediately came running back to me! (Cinder didn't but that's a whole other blog...lol)
I was blown away - and that's when I realized that all the time I have spent on the little things was paying off. It was like when Mr Miyagi was teaching Daniel - sand the floor, paint the fence - and all of a sudden he was able to put it together into his "aha moment".
Do the little things greatly so the great things become little - Susan Garrett told me that at one of her seminars and I truly believe it.
Now don't get me wrong, I know that I have a TON of work ahead of us. But it was pretty cool today to see that being consistent every time I open his crate door or every time I treat him at my side really makes a difference. There are lots of times I just want to take the easy way out - but I don't and being consistent really pays off.
Spotty and Mr Mav hanging out in the gated community together
Didn't know if I was pushing my luck putting them in the same crate together, but Mav's crate was in the house, so I thought I would try. They were just fine.
As you can see, we still need to work on him sitting until being released...lol!
I only let him off lead after we first worked recalls on lead. He was 100% on lead so I wanted to test to see how he would do without.
It was really cool seeing them play together. They are becoming brothers.
Mav loved to chase Spotty, but when I called his name (and I would only call his name once)...
... Mr Mav came running!
And in the great words of Mr. Miyagi...
First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule, Daniel San, not mine.
BANZAI!!!!!
1 comment:
Woohoo - great job.
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