So I think this week I have finally embraced the "you need to be the most interesting thing around to your puppy," which I think Theo still technically is at 8ish months (though he looks more and more mature by the day) so hopefully not too late. It is a major turning point in learning to walk loose leash without a command like heel.
We've (I) have been struggling a bit as of late due to the illness aftermath (in which I bounced back slowly due to stressing over Theo's health as well as disregarding my own physical health limits) and the fact that, respectfully, our previous trainer really did more harm than good past the first two lessons. Overly focused on results in a ridiculous timeline, pressure (e-collar) to the point that after our heel lesson I had our last four lessons be her "observing" Theo vs. working with him at all and leaving the collar off when I was supposed to be "using" it to teach him a new command. None of this was at high levels, but I still don't think any of it was appropriate and I saw a marked difference in Theo's zest to train (which was very high when I got him). I am sticking to using Leerburg until our next training, an obedience class a state over that begins early April.
Back to the story, so I am jogging in ridiculous diagonals/direction changes every time Theo starts to become pully on the leash. "Which way am I going, ooh, which way am I going to go now?" And he is trotting along like it is some great game. We go back to walking and he is much closer, eventually starts to pull, and I restart the shenanigans. Apparently I was also highly engaged because I looked up at the last minute to catch that I was beep-bopping into a couple who with two very reactive dogs 25ish feet away. Did Theo care? No, he was paying attention to me and by the time he noticed earnestly (he is not very reactive to begin with) I was bouncing away and he was following behind.
I would say that's results itself, but later caught the happy nap (pictured below). Proof in the pudding.
We've (I) have been struggling a bit as of late due to the illness aftermath (in which I bounced back slowly due to stressing over Theo's health as well as disregarding my own physical health limits) and the fact that, respectfully, our previous trainer really did more harm than good past the first two lessons. Overly focused on results in a ridiculous timeline, pressure (e-collar) to the point that after our heel lesson I had our last four lessons be her "observing" Theo vs. working with him at all and leaving the collar off when I was supposed to be "using" it to teach him a new command. None of this was at high levels, but I still don't think any of it was appropriate and I saw a marked difference in Theo's zest to train (which was very high when I got him). I am sticking to using Leerburg until our next training, an obedience class a state over that begins early April.
Back to the story, so I am jogging in ridiculous diagonals/direction changes every time Theo starts to become pully on the leash. "Which way am I going, ooh, which way am I going to go now?" And he is trotting along like it is some great game. We go back to walking and he is much closer, eventually starts to pull, and I restart the shenanigans. Apparently I was also highly engaged because I looked up at the last minute to catch that I was beep-bopping into a couple who with two very reactive dogs 25ish feet away. Did Theo care? No, he was paying attention to me and by the time he noticed earnestly (he is not very reactive to begin with) I was bouncing away and he was following behind.
I would say that's results itself, but later caught the happy nap (pictured below). Proof in the pudding.
