Otto at 25 Weeks

 I missed a week of documenting because I spent most of last week getting ready to put on an obedience/rally show last weekend. Otto attended his first dog show, and he was SUCH a champ! It was a lot of crate time. More than he's ever had to do in his life, and he was good and quiet. He was also able to walk through crowds of people and dogs and even did some really nice work! 

We didn't accomplish too much last week training wise. But this week has been great!

• Heeling - I couldn't put it off any longer, we're actually doing it! No platforms or boxes. Hell, not really any lures. He was BORN to do this! Just a few days in, he's giving me beautiful side-passes, backing up in heel, left turns, left pivots (moving his front end back AND his rear-end behind like it's the most natural thing in the world) and right pivots. He even gave a perfect left finish on his own, like "this is where I belong," Yes, buddy, yes it is!! 😍

• Down to sit on a signal. This is really coming along! He is responding correctly from two steps back. When he has this at 5', I will start working on his down-from-stand signal.

• We went to our first big boy obedience class--he is now a drop-in in the class before Ira's. The agenda was heeling and position changes, and he is not quite to the level of the other dogs, but the work he IS doing is very good! We also worked choose to heel in class and his heel position of choice is absolutely perfect, as well as dynamic and prancy. I just love this dog!

• Scent articles are absolutely no problem for him. He's working metal, leather, wood, and rubber; up to 15 articles at a time; mixed materials; and switching from one target material to another. 

• Stand-stay is looking great! I am now able to walk all the way around him and have introduced other proofing, like moving objects around him.

• We also checked of "find heel from two angles" on a box for the TEAM 1. We are also working on putting his back up on a verbal. So we really just need fronts and position changes. I need to get back to working fronts.