Sometimes, how fast he learns is surprising
Got another reminder on how fast he can pick up on some things, even if he struggles the first time seeing it.
Earlier this evening, I was running through so things and for one there was this dog that was jumping around and whining but Wally didn't even move towards the other dog. Usually he would be trying to get over there to see what the other dog was doing, or attracted by the whining and movement ("obviously, that dog wants to play - and I'm always up for a game!" must be what goes through his mind).
But this time, nothing but looking over and even then I could get him to watch me - for a little while - and was completely quiet. No barking or whining of his own or anything.
We just had a chance to practice that with the clicker the other day. We came up to a dog tied out in the yard and Wally was about to go to the dog, but I blocked him and had him sit and focus on me - then he got rewarded.
Seems like that was still at least somewhere in his mind.
But the example that really showed it was him practicing "go around" (meaning, go around the object I point towards). He used to have a hard time understanding it. Then when he did get it, going back some distance would mess it up again.
This evening, however, he ran around the pole with no problem. I even had him do it 4 times in a row, just going around the pole without even coming back. No way he would have done that before, but in about a couple weeks of and on, he picked it up like a pro!
Sometimes I forget that struggling still can equal learning for him. It might look like he's lost or confused, but somehow, somewhere, the lesson is sinking in. I just got another reminder of that.
Earlier this evening, I was running through so things and for one there was this dog that was jumping around and whining but Wally didn't even move towards the other dog. Usually he would be trying to get over there to see what the other dog was doing, or attracted by the whining and movement ("obviously, that dog wants to play - and I'm always up for a game!" must be what goes through his mind).
But this time, nothing but looking over and even then I could get him to watch me - for a little while - and was completely quiet. No barking or whining of his own or anything.
We just had a chance to practice that with the clicker the other day. We came up to a dog tied out in the yard and Wally was about to go to the dog, but I blocked him and had him sit and focus on me - then he got rewarded.
Seems like that was still at least somewhere in his mind.
But the example that really showed it was him practicing "go around" (meaning, go around the object I point towards). He used to have a hard time understanding it. Then when he did get it, going back some distance would mess it up again.
This evening, however, he ran around the pole with no problem. I even had him do it 4 times in a row, just going around the pole without even coming back. No way he would have done that before, but in about a couple weeks of and on, he picked it up like a pro!
Sometimes I forget that struggling still can equal learning for him. It might look like he's lost or confused, but somehow, somewhere, the lesson is sinking in. I just got another reminder of that.
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