Feeling frustrated with our progress in the ST class.  It doesn't seem like we have made any progress at all this week.  The only trick Tibby likes is the cupboard door slam.  She would also like the bowl into another bowl if I would click for bowl throwing! :)  We're not really into fine tuning tricks I guess. 
We both just want to be outside running around!!!!

Just So You Know

I can't comment on any blogs!!! Not even my own blog!!!!!  Sorry :(  Stupid blogger......

Have A Great Weekend!

Tibby went to the groomer's today.  When we got home it started to rain, but that didn't stop me from trying to get a few pictures of Tibby in front  of my allium.

"Um, I'm getting wet?"

"It's still raining, so how long is this going to take?"

As she usually does, Tibby crashed when we got inside.  She always gets tired out at the groomer's.  Also, she ran 5 miles earlier in the morning.......but that doesn't usually tire her out too much.

Awww, so sweet.

And now just a couple of the out takes:

"Yum!  Grass!"

Foto Friday

Rambling Around

Tibby and I went to Ramble Park yesterday.  It was a beautiful day.

Tibby grazing.

Look at those puffy white clouds!

After a long winter of white snow pictures, I never get sick of seeing Tibby on green grass.

Everybody Loves Tibby

I came home last night and found this picture and a letter in my door.  Zoe's mom left it.  She made a picture of Tibby and Catty.  This is the postscript to her letter: P.S. You might think I dislike Tibby but I really do like her cuz she makes you happy.

Oh, boy....I think she meant it in a nice way?

Keeping My Eye On You

Tibby is keeping an eye on the neighborhood from one of her favorite places.

Tibby runs up the bleachers every time we walk by them.

Lesson 4 Week 2 Puppy/Tricks Class

What I said,
"1 I showed you Tibby’s crazy running in that video for the foundations class.

2 Tibby is moving in both directions now. I wait until she is doing good circles in both directions, but what is the next step? We are so far behind that I missed what you told other people.

3 Can’t do yet. Still working on back up 2o2o

4 I don’t think she knows why I’m clicking yet, but this is a fun trick. Also, she likes to steal the bowls

5 Tibby offered to sit up and hold the pole. I don’t know if we are doing this right?

6 I showed you last time - still working on it.

Other things: I have been working a lot with Tibby outside. Just easy tricks. Also, on our walks I bring one of her balls along and when she recalls to me nicely then I throw the ball and we race to it together. Tibby thinks this is super fun! I just want her to get used to working outside.

I had the video all made and ready to put on youtube, but I forgot to save it and my computer ate it! So this is the 2nd time I made the video and I was in a hurry, but almost everything fit in the 2nd time too. I wanted to show you our trip to an agility trial last weekend and Tibby trying to close drawers (she doesn’t like drawers)."

What Silvia said,
"Great job! Congratulations to the other direction! Once you have full circles, position yourself next to the target so that she can’t pass you and click for coming all the way to your leg. Getting there with stepping backwards too, slowly raise that pillow by putting some books underneath. She is picking up those bowls great, time to help her less with the positioning of the other bowl so that she needs to think some more! Getting there with the hug too, you’re doing it right, just select for a paw (or both) deeper&deeper around now. Her doors slams are GREAT, she definitely likes that! Why do you think she doesn’t like drawers, I would guess doors move more and make more sound, that’s why it doesn’t make sense to me? Also, GREAT to hear she likes her ball also outside, we will sure need that for Foundation class!"




Then I posted this second video



I said,
"Watching agility and closing drawers. Tibby really didn’t like closing the drawers. It was the first time we had tried a drawer and it was at my parent’s house. The drawers are also really heavy. There is a big difference between her closing the doors at my house this week and this video (which was done last week). Also I was rewarding with food and Tibby likes her ball better!

We stayed at the agility trial for about 2 1/2 hours. That was long enough for Tibby. She was a little bit whiny. She had her tail wagging the whole time, so I think she was just excited about all the people and dogs. There was one tiny toy poodle that she was obsessed with. The toy poodle and its owners were sitting near us for a while and Tibby stared and stared at it. Then when they left she very intently watched them walk down the stairs and out the door. She was actually the most relaxed when she was watching other dogs run. When the people were moving the equipment around she was the most whiny and trying to walk around. She walked up and down on the seat in front of us and sat there by herself for a while. She ate some treats and pulled her tug toy out of my purse, but didn’t want to tug. Mostly she sat on my lap.

I’ve tried to find places to take Tibby, so she will be comfortable, but it’s difficult to find somewhere like an agility trial - SO many dogs and people. June 1st the street market in my town will start again for summer,. I want to try and take her there every week. She seemed to jump back when the drawers closed and acted like she was scared of them. Yeah I would think the doors were noisier."


Silvia said,
" O.k., I can see now, she doesn’t like the drawers so much, but it doesn’t look too bad, I think she would get used to those too and slammed those just as well as the doors. She sure like that! And her ball She seems perfectly fine with the people and noise, it’s normal it gets somewhat boring for the dog to just sit there, but I don’t think she will have problems with that. Definitely take that as an opportunity to try some fun tricks and ball chasing!"

Previous lessons:

4th Lesson Week 1
3rd Lesson Week 2
3rd Lesson Week 1
2nd Lesson Week 2
 2nd Lesson Week 1

1st Lesson Week 2

1st Lesson 1st Week

My Favorite Tibby Video

I was feeling nostalgic last night and re-watched this video.  It is still my favorite Tibby video.  She was so small!  Catty looks huge next to her.  Awww I miss baby Tibby :(  I knew she would grow up fast and I tried to treasure every baby puppy moment, but it STILL went by way too FAST. 

Caution!  Do not watch if you are prone to puppy fever!

I know I'm thinking about baby Tibetans......but I'm always thinking about them!

Dancing On the Table

Someone once asked me, "Do you ever say 'no' to Tibby?!?"  Not really.  I've had scared dogs before and I wanted Tibby to be very brave, unafraid and willing to try anything.  I try to redirect her if she is being especially obnoxious to Catty or the bunnies.  If she were in danger I would swoop in - very helicopter mamma, but yelling 'NO!' wouldn't help very much.  She figures things out for herself pretty quickly.  For example, she doesn't push on the gate in the dining room any more, because it will fall over on her and she doesn't like that.  Now she gives it a wide berth.

So last night Tibby jumped up on a dining room chair for the first time.  I didn't reward her, but I took a picture.  Then things got crazy.....

"Hmmm, I was down there and now I'm up here."

"This is where the food is right?  So food me already!"

"Dancing! Dancing on the table!"

Hmmm, I think we'll need to work on this.  Tables are not for dancing dogs.

In other funny Tibby news:  Last night I took Tibby for a walk in the pouring rain.  I had just come home from work, it was about 11:30pm and I was still wearing light blue scrubs.  I took an empty bread bag to use as a poop bag.  After the bag was filled all Tibby could think was, "Bread!  Bread!  Give me some bread!"  She jumped up on me with her dirty paws - "Ah my scrubs!"  Even after I showed her that it was just poop (her's!) she was still convinced that it was bread.  She gave me some nice heeling and loose leash walking -LOL!  But I didn't reward her with the 'bread'. 

We also found a huge toad on our walk.  TT's are supposed to have a low prey drive?  Yeah right.  She tried to eat the toad.  It was in her mouth!  She also tries to eat every squirrel and bird we see on our walks.  And Catty?  Well, she's just a snack that fights back.

Tibby Fun Day

Busy day today.  I had the day off from work, so we had a Tibby Fun Day.  Lots of hiking and playing with toys.  Then there was a play date and more hiking.  Tuna fish was eaten, also possibly goose poop. 

We spent 90% of the day outside.  Fun and sun.  Plenty of zooming through green grass and dandelions.   

Now we are tired.  Tibby is especially tired - she didn't get her nap today!

Caption Contest

Want to win a fun prize? 

Leave a comment with your best caption for this picture of Tibby.

Rules: Must leave email address with comment, so I can contact you if you win.  Contest ends at Midnight on Sunday May 22nd.

Prize:  A Kong Zebra!

Wordless Wednesday

Someone Had Fun Today

Oh, my goodness!  This is how the story goes.....Tibby and I were outside all day today working in the yard/garden.  Tibby had a fun day of digging holes and then running away when I caught her digging holes.  Finally this evening I took Tibby inside and washed her feet off.  They were a little bit dirty.  Then I went outside to plant grass seed in an area I had raked and carefully smoothed out.  Can you see where this story is going?  So I was outside and Tibby was inside - BARKING HER HEAD OFF.  Yes.  She does not like to be left inside when there is obviously so much more fun to be had outside.  Finally I let her outside, but I made her sit on the porch.  She could watch, but NO TOUCHING OF THE GRASS SEED!!!  At this point I was sprinkling pelleted mulch over the grass seed.  Tibby was so good.  She sat on the porch and watched.  When I went to get some more mulch she followed right behind me and then went back up on the porch.  Yes, I was lulled into believing she was SO well behaved.  So I set up the sprinkler and turn it on.  Tibby loses her ever loving MIND.  She LOVES the sprinkler. 

This is a dog that hates to get her feet wet.  She jumps over tiny puddles on our walks. 

She starts tearing through the freshly planted grass seed at top speed.  Around and around and around.  Running to the sprinkler and then dashing away when she gets sprayed.  Of course, she is NOT going to come to me and go inside.  Are you crazy!?!?  It is so much fun to run around in the mud!!!  

Finally I get smart and turn off the sprinkler.  Then I go inside and she barks a couple of times and finally decides to come running into the house.  I snatch her up at the door and plop her in the bath tub. 

I could not be mad at her, because she was having so much fun!  It was really hilarious.  Too bad about the grass seed. 

"I'm dying of thirst! Where's the water?!?   The sprinkler?  Was that water?"

black socks

"I told you I was thirsty!"

Tibby drinks her bath water.  Yuck.  Hey she also eats dirt - what can you do?

"I would like out now please.  There is a bed I need to roll in."

Can you see my grass seed floating in the water? 

So now Tibby is all tired and she is passed out on the couch.  What a day.

Blogger Deleted Comments

Just wanted to let you all know that Blogger deleted some comments when it went down last week.  Don't worry though!  I read them all, but I'm sorry if your comment was deleted.

Lesson 4 Week 1

Lesson 4

I miss videos from some participants… I hope you’re still posting it, it really doesn’t matter if you’re not finished with the trick just yet, you can always do that later, but it’s good to have some directions, that’s why I would like to see everybody’s videos!

But well, it’s time for a new to-do list:

1. see in what situations your dog gets really crazy and exited or runs as mad and name it – my “magic” word is “ajde, ajde” and you can really see how much speed they add when hearing it – in agility or when running in the fields. I got it by saying anytime they would be chasing each other in full speed or go crazy and run in circles on a wet grass.

2. make the front feet target lower&lower and smaller&smaller and then fade it completely, still circling away from the dog and have him follow your leg. Then, add movements to the side, forward and backward and reward your dog for being glued to the leg

3. side version of 2on2off: try to get side legs (the two left or the two right legs) on an object. The easiest is to choose an object that is angled (I put a pillow under the angle against the sofa or a wall), so that the dog can’t climb on it with all 4 feet. Because of 2on2off, they will probably try hind feet on, but position yourself next to an object so that the dog is parallel to it and will probably first try just one hind foot (it helps if you have a pee trick down already!): reward a couple of times so that he keeps it there as opposed to try to put the other hind leg on too and then see if you can get front foot on too. You can tell them to paw touch your hand that you keep close to an object and eventually fade the hand to have both feet on an object. Jackpot if the dog puts both feet on at the same time (vs. first hind, then front). Do it with both sides right from the start, you want to build muscle and balance on both sides.

4. one object into another: shape the dog to pick up an object, then to carry it around, then to carry it in the direction of another object, then to let it go close to it and eventually to actually put it in another object. I usually start directly with two bowls of the same size, but to make it easier, you can also use a toy and a box or something similar. Do try it with a bowl too, though, they require more precision.

5. hug the pole/umbrella trick, first clicking for any paw touch, then for sliding to the side and then for going more&more around the object, the final goal is a firm hug with one or both front feet around the object – see this video

6. stays with distractions: tell the dog to sit or down and continue with proofing the stay until the release word as we were practicing in 2on2off position already in the last lesson: have them stay in a position with you running passed them, throwing toys and treats, making different hand gestures etc. – then say “go” (sometimes standing still, sometimes while moving) and reward, preferably with a toy as you want a fast start out of the position on “go”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I said,
"Our progress so far.
With the bowl into another bowl trick Tibby has started throwing the bowl. I’m not sure what the next step should be to get her to put the bowl into another bowl.

We are still working on pivoting. I really want Tibby to be able to heel someday. Was I moving around too much? What do you think?

We have so many tricks now it is too hard to get them all into a video (or into a training session). Good problem to have -- yay! for lots of tricks!

P.S. I worked hard to talk to Tibby, but I don’t talk very loud, so I hope you can hear it LOL!!"

What Silvia said,
"Yeap, I hear you talking! Very good! You both look happier today! Great progression with the tricks too, I see you’re getting there with left circling too! Position the target to close to the sofa she can’t pass it, it seems to be working well. Veeery cute sit up too! And a really good stay!

For bowl to bowl trick, position them so that she has the most chances to by accident hit the other bowl. Another way to make it easier is to always reward from the other bowl as that makes them move in that direction, in anticipation of the reward That would be called cheating a little, but it usually makes a great difference if you get stuck."

What a classmate Cheryl said,
"Hi!
I love watching you and Tibby work together It does seem that she is a little bit confused/frustrated because she doesn’t know exactly what you want.. Maybe if you can break things down into even smaller baby steps? Summer used to be like Tibby, but now I spend a lot of time in training plans to make everything as simple as possible so she is always succeeding. A training friends once told me to aim for as many clicks per minute as possible, so use an easier criteria. Now Summer seems to understand that a click means to keep repeating the behaviour, and then we build from there.

We also got stuck with the circling behaviour, but when I tried to step into the picture, she liked to stand next to me so we skipped a step. I think Silvia told me it was ok to walk around a little and cheat (like what you did), so its ok! Another tip would be to toss the treat off on your right side, so that when she goes back to the perch, she will turn a bit to the left to face you, you can click for that..

Just wanted to say don’t feel disheartened! When I first started clicker training with Summer it was VERY hard and I was sad everyday. Now we are a happy happy team! Keep up the good work!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think we are doing pretty good. Working, working, working. I wish you guys could see some of the puppies in this class. They are SO SMART!! The sideways 2o2o is a stumper for us so far, but some of the pups have it down already. And they are doing amazing handstands. Like everywhere, even in the front seat of a car!
If anyone has any tips on getting the bowl into another bowl let me know. Please!
Or on any of the tricks - input welcome! Suggestions requested! :)

CPE Trial and Greener Pastures

We went to watch another agility trial today.  We stayed for about 2 1/2 hours.  That was long enough for Tibby.  She was a little bit whiny.  She had her tail wagging the whole time, so I think she was just excited about all the people and dogs.  There was one tiny toy poodle that she was obsessed with.  The toy poodle and its owners were sitting near us for a while and Tibby stared and stared at it.  Then when they left she very intently watched them walk down the stairs and out the door.  She was actually the most relaxed when she was watching other dogs run.  When the people were moving the equipment around she was the most whiny and trying to walk around.  She walked up and down on the seat in front of us and sat there by herself for a while.  She ate some treats and pulled her tug toy out of my purse, but didn't want to tug.  Mostly she sat on my lap.  I took her out for a potty break/water break twice.

It was very different from the last trial we went to.  I saw a lot of people I wouldn't want to play with (if I was a dog).  There were also a few comments from the people that were sitting behind us that were not nice.  At one point a girl was running a small poodle in (I think) Gambler's and the buzzer sounded.  I don't think she heard the buzzer, but anyway - she then went to the weaves and the judge whistled and she finished her run.  Obviously I don't understand everything that was going on!  But the guy behind us said,  "Well, she wasted time and then she wasted OUR time."  It just sounded mean.  Especially, because I will probably be that girl some day!  Making mistakes.........

Here we are watching the trial. Part of our assignment for the ST puppy class is to take our dogs to places where there are a lot of people. This was our event for the week.

Tibby was tired!  After we got back from the trial we went to a friend's farm and Tibby ran around.  Another assignment for the ST class is to have your dog run very fast and then name it.  I'm using "run run".  Also worked on recalls. 

I didn't try to train with Tibby tonight.  She had a big day.

Tibby Poses With Herself

I ordered a drawing of Tibby from a neat store African Grey.  I think she did a great job - it looks just like Tibby!

And Catty.  I wanted a picture of them together. 

Here is a close-up.  Plus the tag/cards I ordered of Tibby.  She sent an extra card of Catty.

Catty was unavailable to pose with her picture, but Tibby is always up for a photo session.

"Yup, that's me."

*How did I get Tibby to look at the camera?  By holding up a pair of scissors.  Yes, Tibby is weird.