Day 125

Hops had three go around the plunger shaping lessons for breakfast and continues to improve, offering to make the turn away from me more and more. I keep forgetting to write that the entire time I have been shaping Hops to go around the plunger I have been taking turns working all three dogs. So while Rice and Dillon have their turns Hops has been on a down stay. He has been doing a great job, having to be put back sometimes but holding the stay about 95% of the time. Good puppy! Hops was also brushed this morning and had a couple of rough spots on his toenails filed down. He was fine for the brushing if he was lying down but would not stand stay for it. We have lots of work to do there! He was pretty good for the nail filing, better than last night as I was a better trainer and gave him cookies for good behavior : )

 

Hops went to work with me and we played some fetch with a tennis ball while I set up. He was perfect and brought the ball right back to me every time, in exchange for a piece of kibble. After that he started his new nosework, odor continued class. My mom came in and handled him for me and he did a pretty good job. He tried to work her a little in containers, and tried heeling with her some instead of searching, but once he came across the odor box he downed and put his nose on it. They will come together as a team : ) Mom did a great job working with him! He did alright in interiors but needs work on elevation and getting his nose directly on source. He was alerting a little early sometimes. Overall though he did a great job and being in a class before being crated for hours really helped! The only time he fussed for the rest of the night was when Rice came out for a demo. Jealous puppy! Hops came out for a demo too, a rear cross demo and did it perfectly! After all the classes we played some more fetch but with an udder and we were in the agility arena, then we did tunnels, tables and chutes for tugging. To end the night I gave him a food toy and did some agility with Rice and Hops stayed quiet. Good boy!

 

Breakthrough! I did one more shaping sessions with the boys for dinner and Hops was able to make two complete circles around the plunger for one treat! Woohoo! And, he was able to do it going in either direction! Good boy! So Hops and Dillon have figured it out. Rice, on the other hand, is still making a U shape around the plunger : )