Training

Cues Silas Knows:

Sit
Down
Hand Target
Come
Relax (lie on side)
Bow
Go to Crate
Retrieve
With me (heel)
This way (change directions)
Give
Take it

We practice most of these every day, usually in the context of games. Our purpose is to increase the level of distractions that Silas can handle and still perform a cue accurately. We work with quite difficult distractions at home as a way to simulate the fact that he finds it very difficult to focus when we’re anywhere else. Right now I might do something like put a handful of kibble on the floor, cue Silas to walk “with me” away from it, turn, walk back, and do an autosit as I stop a foot or two away. Then I’ll release him to “get the cookies.”

Learning right now:
Rear end awareness
Relaxing on a mat
Cued “go to bed”
Sitting until cued to retrieve, instead of running as soon as I throw the toy

In the future, I’d like to work on:
Increased body awareness
Standing on an object with all four feet
Backing up
Balancing on an inflatable disc