Day 97

Hops had a long day at work with me today. He stayed in the car during my first lesson because there was odor out and he seemed fine when I went to get him. He was mostly quiet throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, the few times he did complain he quieted when I asked him to. In between classes he played tug and fetch with me and did tunnels, chutes, planks, sends and tables. After classes he had a short, fun playtime with Rice, Seek, Cedar and Riser. Earlier in the day he also made a new friend, Edgar, a sweet, young Cavalier.

 

When we came home Jeremiah worked with Hops on the doughnut and peanut and he said he did very well and that he can even back up onto the peanut, almost doing a handstand! Good puppy!

 

Hops has been sleeping outside of his crate for a few nights now and has done very well. He has a bed and has been tied down to the crate which also separates him from Rice and Dillon so he does not try to play with them. He has been quiet and calm and has not chewed anything. He is growing up!

Day 96

Hops went to work with me and played tug and ran around the arena doing chutes and tunnels and tables before classes started. I tried rear crossing a straight tunnel again and he turned correctly every time. He was then quiet though the first class. He played with me a little again before the next class then was good in the crate the rest of the day.

 

When we came home Hops chased Rice round and round the yard which was great because he usually wants to chase Dillon and Rice loves being chased. He was full of energy when we came inside but I was not, so I had him do recalls to the manners minder. He loves the game and it definitely tires him out! It is also not hard on his body like fetch is and he is collecting nicely when he reaches it, stopping straight, his but not swinging out to either side. After he ate is kibble at the MM he came back to me for me to restrain him and let him go again to run to the MM.

 

I took Hops with me to the boys’ agility class so he was able to greet his sister and all the people there. He walked a course with me and showed off his go around skills by running around a large barrel to chase me. Blynn said he looks nice and balanced driving out of the turn. Good boy!

 

Before bed we did interior nosework hides. Hops is definitely improving, detailing more and is finding higher hides with much more ease. It looks like I should do a few more corner and threshold hides with him.

Day 95

I was not feeling well today so we did not do much besides some balance disk work and recalls to the manners minder. Hops was a good boy all day, entertaining himself with his toys and playing with his big brothers.

Day 94

We went to work early this morning to do some vehicle hides and Hops did better than the first time. He stuck to my car better and had some good lessons about wind and vehicle hides. Then my first lesson arrived, a very friendly 10mo Old English Sheepdog and she and Hops played for awhile before the lesson started. They both had a blast running around and chasing each other. Hops then slept through her lesson and my first class.



When we went home for my break we did some peanut, doughnut and balance disk work. I am going to try to do this every day with all three dogs for two weeks like the instruction video says too. He already seems to have great core strength and loves working on all the balance equipment.



Back at work Hops wanted to do nosework with the rest of the class and was a little fussy. When I covered the crate though he quieted. During the short break between that class and the next I took Hops on a short traffic walk in the dark and he was calm and comfortable. Then he and Rice raced around the agility arena, Hops barking as he chased Rice around and around. I then had Hops do some tunnels and chutes with chasing me and playing tug as a reward. I tried rear crossing a straight tunnel and not only did he continue forward to the tunnel despite my lateral motion behind him but he repeatedly turned the correct direction coming out! Good boy!



Hops was good through the next class then had his fun and focus one class. We started with pushes and pulls around chairs and out in the open, then I set up stations for the students to rotate through. At one station they practiced backing to a plank then staying in two on two off position despite treat, toy and motion distractions. In another they walked across a tippy board. At the next station they practiced doing forward sends around a jump standard then running through the short chute, and at the last station the digs ran through a long, dark, curved tunnel, then through a jump standard to the table to do auto downs. Jeremiah said Hops did much better focusing on him this week though he was still biting him. Hops also played tug well with Jeremiah between activities. After the stations the dogs did a short course consisting of a jump standard, a table, a jump standard, a curved tunnel, a plank, another jump standard and ended with the chute. Hops and Jeremiah did a great job with the sequence and boy is Hops fast!



For dinner I had Hops practice some of the cues he knows (sit, down, stand, face, back, roll, say hello, touch, heel and side) and he did a great job not getting them mixed up. I end the session by working on being able to release one dog at a time. I started by having both he and Rice in a sit and one cookie on the ground. I said Rice release and blocked Hops when he tried to get the cookie. I reset them both and this time said Hops release and let him get the cookie. After a few reps Hops was able to keep his sit while I released Rice and still get up right away when I released him. Later I brought Dillon into the game and Hops was able to stay while I released Dillon and Rice to cookies on the floor. Smart puppy!

Day 89-93

This had been a tough, busy week with being out of town last weekend, Leland passing, and a long USDAA trial this weekend so I am going to condense a few days into one post.

 

On Wednesday Hops rode to and from work in the back of the car with Rice (wearing a seat belt) for the first time in my car. He did a great job and seemed to enjoy being up with Rice. He was perfect at work, quiet all day in the crate. He stayed home from the boy’s agility class to play with Sammy, a Portuguese Water dog staying with us until Friday. They are a perfect match and have been playing non stop every chance they get!

 

 

On Thursday Hops again went to work with me, and was very good for most of the night but was a little noisy at end. I was a long day for him. After all my classes were over Hops got to play with Riser, Seek, Cedar, Seamus and Rice for a little while and they had lots of fun!

 

On Friday Hops was left alone for a few hours (unusual for him) while I taught a workshop and he seemed fine when I came home, food toys empty. Taffy and Renee then came over for a play date then Hops stayed home with Jeremiah while I taught another workshop. He and Jeremiah played some fetch and he was good for his dad!

 

Saturday we had a USDAA trial and Hops of course went with us. As usual, he was great at trial, met lots of people, dogs and puppies and was very calm in the environment. On the way home he was fussy in the crate which is unusual but he had been in it a long time… I put a new bed in his crate tonight, a larger flat one, and he fussed and fussed until I put a pillow in with him! It seems he likes something to be able to lay his head on like Rice : ) He always has liked to play blanket monster!

 

Sunday we went to the trial again and Hops was once again great. He continues to love everyone new he meets and is ecstatic to see people he has met before. I was easily able to get him to play tug with his leash and to do sends around cones. He was again fussy in car but it had been another long day for him. When we got home I played some fetch with him but he is so into it now that I started asking for different behaviors before letting him go get the ball. He had trouble at first but then was able to quickly perform to be released to the ball. After fetch I practiced sending him around a tall stool to chase and play tug with me. Since he is pretty good at the post turn now I introduced the reverse post turn. He did pretty good with it. Then I gave him a new puzzle toy and he figured it out pretty quickly. A little later we played on balance disks, the peanut and the doughnut then we end the session with some perch work. Finally, he is tired! Before bed I filed his nails and brushed him and he was very calm for it. Good puppy!

Day 88

Today Hops would like to make a tribute to Leland, his older brother that he barely knew. Leland was put to sleep today at twelve and a half years because of advanced bladder cancer. Leland was a wonderful boy and will be missed by the many people who loved him. Here is a link to his photo album if you are interested:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.101596566525097.3656.100000242626401&type=3

Leland 2000-2013

 

Day 87

Everybody rested today when we were not at work. We were tired from the big weekend Portland trip! When we were at work Hops did a great job as usual. He had a little play time between classes then had his fun and focus one class. In class everyone practiced running the inside and outside of a long, dark, curved tunnel, practiced sending their dog around a cone then running away to the table to do auto downs, practiced going through a short chute to a target plate, practiced forward and lateral sends through jump standards, and practiced moving sits and downs. Every time I watched Jeremiah and Hops they looked great but Jeremiah reported that it was difficult to keep his attention and that he kept biting him when taking treats. Hmmm, I think the teenage times are starting!