Bless Leah

After reading my blog she worked out a plan of campaign for me and Tom, first I got a phone call to say bring really high value treats to training last night so I toddled off to the butcher and bought some lamb’s liver which I cut up into some nice bite sized pieces. When I got to training the next part of the plan came into action, I was only to do 3 bits of equipment and treat and praise once completed, if we had a longer course I had to treat him between each section of 3 and when he wasn’t working he stood away from the other dogs and chilled out there were also to be no ‘wait’ starts until his agility drive is back.

I’m not expecting miracles but I have to say the difference was amazing, the liver combined with the short sections really seemed to work and the chill out meant he was up for being back with me and working. I need to alternate the treats so I’m going to look at making some treats of my own including liver cake and fish cake and the smellier the better.

I also ran Dudley round a couple of courses and for a dog that wont usually touch anything in the raw meat/fish line he got a real taste for the liver and caught me out by running faster than I’ve ever seen him and actually catching and coming past me down a line of jumps and over the dogwalk.

I’m so lucky to have such a fantastic set of trainers, especially Leah who takes real pains to help us with all our different problems and she even held some raw liver which must have been awful for her as she’s a veggie. Please don’t tell her I said that as she’ll have trouble getting her head through the gateway at training!

All I have to do now is be consistent and just work 3-4 obstacles at a time and not get over excited and let the red mist take over if he’s going nicely.