Week Two

Day 8 – Doggie Door Training

I finally installed the ramp on the back of the house to Landry’s doggie door so we can train him to go in and out. I got some high value treats to lure him. Kathi was in the house and I was outside the house. It was simply amazing how easily it was to get him going in and out on his own. Then after a few times he got the message and thought that it was a game and kept going in and out. I know that we will have to practice this daily for awhile so it become second nature to him but he is on the correct path already.

Bella, my son’s dog came over today. Landry and Bella played for about 2 hours. They ran and played hard the entire time. What fun they were having. I got tired just watching them. They love playing with that homemade sock toy and playing tug of war. Most of the time Bella was dragging Landry over the yard.

Before dinner we practiced about 25 sits, Zen and Target. Tomorrow I plan on working on Down.

What we've worked on so far: (This is an on-going list, begun in Week Two but added to as we progress)

• name recognition
• come
• settle
• kennel
• go to mat
• touch
• zen
• crate
• bite control
• housetraining
• going through dog door
• handling (tail, paws, head, ears, teeth)
• stairs
• go to sleep
• stack
• sit
• down
• follow me
• lazy leash
• collar
• eye contact
• riding in crate in truck
• puppy pushups
• touchables
• retrieve
• dumbbell
• down stay
• touch stick
• two ball fetch

Where I've been and what I've seen and heard so far

• vet
• PetCo
• UCSD Hillcrest (Dale's work)
• Sharp (Kathi's work)
• ridden in a grocery cart
• Lily's house
• Home Depot
• Lowe's
• Best Buy
• fire engine and ambulance sirens in the distance
• dust buster
• vacuum
• person sweeping a broom
• stairs
• garden hose
• gravel
• reflection in mirror
• F-16s flying directly overhead
• ordinance in the distance
• low flying helicopters overhead
• ambulance, fire engine sirens
• foghorn
• bubble wrap
• metal objects
• cats
• mulch