Day 31

Before work I played tug with Hops. I asked for a sit, moved away, waving the toy, released if he stayed, removed the toy if he broke, played tug when he reached me, asked for a drop, rewarded with a treat then started all over again! He did great, staying most of the time and staying in the game when he made mistakes. Then I tried some fetch, tossing the toy over to the front door where we do not go often and staying in the living room. He returned the toy to the living room every time. He brought the toy to me a few times on his own, the others took coaxing but he did come. Good boy!

Hops went to work with me this afternoon and said hello to a klee kai, a shiba, a yellow lab, a westie and he played with a frenchie (he was a little afraid but stayed in the game). He stayed in a crate in class and was mostly quiet. He talked to his toys some and whined near the end but was good overall.

Hops had a big day at work with me in the evening. He slept in the crate in my car during the first class then I brought him in to play with me before the next class started. I had a dark, curved tunnel set out so I sent Rice through it and when Hops followed him through I rewarded him on the other side. After a few times of following Rice he could go through on his own. Next we practiced the table, practiced start lines in front of a jump standard, then put it all together by running the little course I had set up for my class. It was forward through one jump (no bars), a pinwheel of three jumps to the right, a rear cross on the flat to a tunnel that turned left then straight to the table. Wow, this puppy is incredible, the course was easy for him! He was also able to do it as a demo for the class! During the rest of the class he munched on a kong and slept in a crate. I had a big break after that so Hops had a long training session, some for the camera (video will be in tomorrow’s blog, it is late!). He did pushups on a plank, pushes and pulls around cones and Rice, crate games, tug, zen cookie, and his first shaping lesson of going around a cone. He did great with everything, though perch work is going a little slow. He is giving me sidesteps to reward but they do not seem purposeful yet. Then Kate joined us with her adult black lab Cory and her 4 month yellow lab Jack to play. Rice and Hops had lots of fun with her two dogs and they played for quite awhile. Very fun! Then Hops greeted dogs and people in the last class, walked around with us while we walked the course then went in a crate again. He was good for most of class, talking to his toys some and whining when he had to pee. After class Shannon brought Allie in (his 3 month old dane friend) in and she and Hops played and played! They are a great match and had los of fun. Before we went home, Hops and Rice and I ran around the arena, doing recalls.

From this view I thought Hops was in the toy basket as he likes to be.

The next view though shows just he might be growing out of it!

Hops has bee doing great with potty training. He has been consistently sitting in front of the door or whining at it when he needs to go out. Now we are still ever vigilant. We still let him out more than the other dogs, after a nap of any length, before and after a training session, after play, after eating or drinking and definitely take him out if it looks like he is looking for something! It has been at least a week since his last accident!