Training update-nov 28

I'm still sick, but i spent 15 minutes working on training with lexx this afternoon to try to pass the time. Result: i'm exhausted, ny neck is KILLING from looking at him...

It took me longer than normal to get lexxball's attention today. He was listening to the commands, but he wasn't really engaged. It bothers me when he's like that. I prefer for him to be OVER excited about training and bouncing and jumping then just kinda dragging along through the movements like a machine.

Some focus games brought him back a little bit and we did some short heeling exercises. He's still having issues with the inside turns, his bum doesn't move but he tries to keep his shoulders in line with me. poor thing always looks confused.

I got about 5 excellent sits today!!! the first one that he did was amazing. The more "in focus" he is, the better that his sits seem to be. Im concentrating on HIGH VALUE reward for perfect sits, and i refuse to treat a crooked one. Maybe he'll get it eventually.

Finishes are getting better though i still need to step back for the left hand finish. I need to get it to the point where he'll move himself into position more.

We also worked on the STAND from SIT today without moving forward. He definitely won't just pop his back end up, but he's not looking all confused about STAND anymore and will hold it while i walk around him in a circle. I'll have to continue this and move to the stand for examination phase.

progression is being seen.

a day in the life...

well, im sick with some sort of strange flu that pretty much just totally knocks me out with muscle pain and exhaustion so I spent yesterday at home working instead of driving to work.

i finally understand why lexx is so stressed all the time. he lives a very tough life.

schedule:

6am RUDLEY awakened and FORCED into the snow to pee

6:45am Walk time. takes too long for dad to get ready. forced to wait patiently. not allowed to chase animals, not allowed to eat grass, not allowed to run away.

7:30 Breakfast. mom takes WAY too long to put the bowl down. practically STARVING by now

8am: nap time. sleep on fuzzy fleece blanket on couch. obviously not arranged properly.grumbling ensues

10am: toys look lonely. must look after them. give each one some attention, VERY time consuming...

11:30 nap more. clearly exhausted.

this continues most of the day.

4pm, walk time. WET WET WET. how DARE it snow on MY walk.

5:30: dinner. again. practically STARVED. I only eat THREE times the recommended amount... can't you see? starved!

6:30: people are ignoring me. i'm trying to push my nose on the counter to investigate their dinner. don't they know that it could be poisoned? I really SHOULD try it first...

7:30 nap time again.

honestly.. i don't know how he survives...

loose leash CLICK

Yesterday, Lexx and I braved the blowing snow to go on our evening walk before i collapsed in exhaustion due to my current flu bug.

I put him on a martingale collar ( flat, no chain) and clipped on the 6ft leather training leash i love to death ( best thing ever in the whole entire world) and off we went.

after walking halfway around the block ( about 500m) i realized... wait... he's not pulling. he's not twisting... he's not..doing anything!

And i glanced down and there was my baby lexx ball, ears up, body straight, TROTTING with all four legs nice and straight and even at my side.

The dream didn't last the entire walk, following someone was very difficult (FRIENDS!) but I am totally and completely AMAZED by his behaviour. I thought i would never ever be able to walk him on a normal collar and enjoy it.

maybe he really IS growing up!

training update-nov 24

Its officially gross outside. snowy, slushy, rainy and gross.

Lexx and I have started training in the living room. The space is by no means big enough, but its the only area of the house that is carpeted so that he doesn't slip.

Last night we worked on a lot of sits, finishes and spins ( 360, 270) in the living room, probably looking like idiots. Kyle's mother is visiting and she seemed inconvenienced by my movements, silly high pitched voice and generally by both my and lexx's existences in the livingroom. *sigh*

needless to say i got a few FANTASTIC sits out of him, but he's still so inconsistent. Sometimes they are straight, sometimes they are at 90 degrees. Working on it though...

finishes and getting better and the spins are coming along. He still isn't quite sure that he has a hind end so the inside turns are difficult for him and he gets all confused.

luckily we have lots of time to practice.

I'm going to visit my (hopefully) new training facility tomorrow. Pretty excited about that!

Learning with Dante

Today was Dante and Maylissa's FIRST EVER rally trial. I was interested in learning more about rally, and of course, wanted to provide some support for Lexxingtons brother (my favourite black and tan dobe boy) and Maylissa on their big day.

I was surprised about how CALM and collected and beautifully behaved Dante was during the entire day. Im sure Maylissa thought it was nothing, but he showed an EXTREME contrast to his littler red brother who is generally insane.

After an unfortunate start in their first run, where an off leash advanced trialing JRT ran through the barrier and attacked Dante at his FIRST station, they performed very very well and earned two legs of their RN title.

I must admit, I was a bit jealous about his beautiful sits. I officially think I have "sit envy"...

Now that I've spent the entire day at a trial, I'm even MORE determined to get Lexx into form so that one day it will be he and I in that ring.

must get to work.....

one doberman: free to good home

free to good home.

male. 18mo red and tan doberman pinscher, well behaved for the most part. excellent cuddler, has obedience training. Prefers to live on couch with owner at all times. Melts when in contact with rain or any other form of precipitation....


Lexx peed on the floor AGAIN tonight. I'm about ready to give up.


too bad i love him so much

Lexx meets a new friend

Yesterday on our evening walk, in the snow, Lexx and I came across my neighbour with the Deer hound Harper. Lexx and Harper have hung out together before, but Harper isn't much of a player and Lexx gets bored with him easily. However, it turns out that Harper has a new little brother named Harlem, a great pyranese/border collie cross pup who is 5 months.

She asked if we wanted to go play at the park, a question that i tentatively agreed to, since I've been unsure of Lexx's ability to cope with other dogs since his attack. I said we'd go, but I'd keep Lexx on a leash until I was certain that he would be ok around the male pup.

The puppy play bowed immediately and lexx bowed back jumping and leaping and asking me to allow him to play. So i did. The two of them bounded through the snow, followed by lumbering Harper. I kept a 100% two eye watch on lexx's behaviour and corrected any sniffing, posturing or pink thing appearances. They played together for around 25 minutes of non stop fun, with absolutely no problems other than the fact that Lexx out ran both of them by 10x in speed, grace and beauty ( in mom's opinion). My neighbour was star struck with how fast and agile Lexx was, commenting several times on his extreme speed.

After our small adventure we trotted home. Lexx happy because he had a good romp and got to eat lots of snow and mom happy because her baby was such a good boy.

training update-nov 18 08

training lexx was the ONLY thing that went well yesterday.

Worked at the local park again, braving the vicious wind and the frozen ground. Training is going to get a lot harder when the snow hits.

Started out by working on some simple straight lines of heeling utilizing Lexx's jute. He was a bit MORE hyped up about heeling than i might have liked, bouncing along more than walking, but he maintained a moderately stable position with only a bit of forging when he thought i'd gone too long without giving up the tug.

Proceeded by adding in some patterns to the heeling, U-turns, about turns, figure 8s and large circles and spent most of my time trying to keep his focus through the different movements. He's actually really improved about this and is reading my shoulder cues better and better all the time. He still forgets about his bum when we're doing left hand U turns and 360's, he maintains his shoulders in a good spot and the focus is there, but his bum gets left behind and then at the last second he SPINS it around to continue walking.

Since I'm pretty sure that Lexx thinks that dobermans end directly behind their shoulders, some hind end awareness is in order though i'm not entirely sure how to proceed in this...

Did some work on fronts and finishes to both the right and the left. his fronts are getting really snappy and i'm being more and more demanding about his straightness. He gets annoyed at me, but why do it if you're not going to do it right? His finishes are coming along at a surprising pace with the only issue still being the straightness of his sits.

I practiced his sits when i stop ( straight) along the fence at the field again. Its annoying, but I hope it helps him get it in his head that he has to be facing the SAME direction as me and not at a 90 degree angle when he sits. I was quite proud of him since he maintained a nice heel ( not as focused as i usually demand, but even and straight) and continued his sits even though there was a lab playing "chuck it" right outside the fence.

His ability to work under distraction will be his greatest fault i think. I'm hoping it will improve with neutering and I plan on enrolling him in a group rally class starting in january to get him used to the idea of working with other dogs present.

all in all a great time at the park even with the frozen feet.

Jogging

Lexx and I went running yesterday.

He's never been particularily GOOD at running with me ( we've tried short distances) because he always gets upset that i'm running AWAY and he tries to dive in front of me, with the end result being me sitting on my bum on the pavement twisted up in a doberleash and a squirmy doberman, that though his mission of "stopping mommy" was a success, doesn't like being squished in the process...

I've recently been walking lexx with a flat martingale collar instead of the prong, and allowing him to walk out in front of me on a 6ft leash. Pulling is still NOT allowed and we often need a reminder, BUT he's much more relaxed and is enjoying walks more.

I've decided that Lexx is maturing slowly. we have a lifetime to compete. I'm not going to rush it. Training is training and walking is walking. I'm going to stop expecting so much from him ALL the time before his brain explodes.

Anyways, back to jogging. He's finally figured out that jogging is FUN. he stays out in front of me, bouncing along with no thoughts that mom is running away anymore. The only near disasters come when a VERY good smell happens and he GRINDS to a halt right in front of me.

We did 2kms yesterday in the driving rain. I hate running as a rule, but i think its good for us both as I don't have time to make it to the gym anymore, so we're going to do it here and there.

Bad time to start, right as winter hits... i suppose that was an oversight.

I'm also buying lexx a treadmill. Im looking around and I hope to have one by xmas time.

FINISH

Yesterday was my birthday and My idea of a wonderful evening was spending it with my doberboy.

As soon as I got home from work we headed out for a nice long walk. Lexx was a huge ball of walking anxiety, squeaking, walking sideways, shaking... he was a terrible mess.

finally i resolved that I would walk back and forth along the street until 1) he calmed down 2) he stopped pulling and darting in front of my feet, inevitably leading to his paws being squished under my feet and 3) i felt like i'd accomplished something.

So, like idiots, back and forth walk walk walk turn walk walk walk turn down the street we go. I'm sure my neighbours think that i should likely be committed.

amazingly... it worked. he started to relax, stopped panting, stopping pulling and started LOOKING at me. I started mixing up the style of turns, normal U turns, left hand U turns and about turns with the same calm consistent walk in between. He's still very sketchy on his left U turns and forgets to move his bum and just sort of stares at me then jumps back at my side, but atleast he was doing it.

given m new found calm, minorly focused dog, i started mixing up the commands, fronts, downs, sits. and our newest accomplishment, "get in" or left hand finish. He was doing all of these so well that i decided to attempt to teach a right hand finish, around behind me and sit at the left.

this is the dog that doesn't sit. and he did it!
TWICE!
With a nice straight sit looking up at his mommy for the next command.

Movement in a forward direction... things are progressing

TOO connected?

Sorry for the absence things have been busy around here.

Late last week I started feeling kinda "off" for lack of a better word. After a few days of symptoms coming and going, I decided to go to the doctor on monday and... what do you know, I have a UTI. Great. MORE antibiotics for the girl who can't take antibiotics.

I come home on monday to Lexx having knocked his gate over. Doing what any proper 18 month old doberman would do, he went EXPLORING! He was upstairs eating all the kitty food when I got home and looked rather proud of himself. I would normally not have been too upset about all of this, but.....turns out in the excitement of being out he had taken a big poo in my dining room. then walked through it. twice.

if i had not been so upset, I would have taken pictures to demonstrate the horrible state that my ground floor was in. I spent over 40 minutes scrubbing my floors... my carpets... everywhere.

Later that evening, we go to bed and Lexx is left in his domain, sleeping soundly on his very favourite couch spot and all is well. I am awaken at 2 am to find pee everywhere. I can not even begin to describe the extent to which I am in fact NOT blowing this issue out of proportion. It looks like he has peed while doing a good set of zoomies all over my house. For the record i HATE mopping... and mopping at 2am...well let it just be said doesn't put me in a good mood.

The next day, still thoroughly confused about this behavior since Lexx has been very trustworthy in the house for quite some time now, I get home from the barn and find that he has peed AGAIN on the floor, luckily ( a word to be taken lightly in this situation) only in one spot....should I also mention that kyle was in the same room and didn't notice?

Off to the vet we go. Turns out that Lexx has a UTI too.

case and point? we are MUCH too connected.

Training update-nov 3 08

So, I finally got myself back into gear and got in a good training session with Lexx last night.

Considering the bit of a break that we've taken ( a few 5-10 minute sessions over the last week but nothing heavy) I wasn't expecting too much.

As I expected, he was a bit sloppy, focus wasn't right there, his heeling was a bit off and he was generally not trying very hard. We practiced some heeling patterns and even though his hind end was slanted out at an angle more than i'd like, his focus came back pretty well and he was listening to shoulder cues for both left and right turns as well as completing nice figure eights. We actually managed to get some pretty decent sits on my halt cues too, but his sits are so damn frustrating that i don't even WANT to work on them anymore. *sigh*

practiced some lateral focus into heeling patterns, some halts to downs and some short recalls, where his finishes were still a bit wobbly but getting better on the whole.

I decided to be gutsy and try working on some finishes, or "get in" as I refer to it as and Lexx really surprised me by doing not one, not two but THREE beautiful sits beside me at the finish. I was stunned, but figure it might have been luck.

I then introduced the "stand" command. Lexx knows "stand" from when I was teaching him to stack back in the day when I naively thought that he might ever be able to show. Even though he knows the word, hes not used to being left to free stack from a halt or a heel, and kinda stopped and looked at me in a confused type of way like " what? you're not moving my feet or luring me.... what's going on here...." but it wasn't bad for a first go.

Over all nothing stunning or really more than just ok. But i blame myself for not practicing more as of late. I ahve to admit that atleast he had tonnes of energy and spring, not dead like he wasn't having fun practicing, so thats a bonus in my mind.

Trick or Dog cookie?

Sorry for the wait, but here is the account of Lexxington's first ever Trick or Treating experience!

I got home just as my neighbour and her two little girls ( aged 4 and 8) were leaving to go Trick or treating. They both yelled that they wanted to see Lexx's costume, so I told them I would put it on and come trick or treating with them, which, of course, was very exciting.

Lexx donned his dober-dragon costume and we headed out to join the madness of Hallowe'en. Having been at home alone for 8 hours and being that everything was QUITE exciting, he was a huge hyper ball, jumping, lunging and generally bouncing off the walls. Good thing I had his prong on or it could have been a disaster.

As much as the girls were excited about Lexx joining their trick or treating party, they are afraid of dogs, and lexx is quite a challange for the both of them due to his size and energy level.

After about 6 or 7 houses and about a million comments "look! the dog is dressed up!!!" "oooooh! he's soooo cuteee!" and about 4 dog cookies from people giving out candy that rushed away to get Lexx an etra treat, Lexx decided that he quite LIKED trick or dog cookie-ing and he calmed right down! After about 30 minutes, the 4 year old girl would go to the door and say " I"M A PRINCESS AND LEXXXXXXX IS A DRRRAAAAGGGOOOONNNN" and pat him on the head as he sat beside her.

After about an hour, lexx was walking with one girl on each side of him and the little girl would lean over him and let him kiss her chin then squeal and say "mommmmmmmy! i'm getting Lexxx kisssesss! lookkkkk!" This is a VERY large development.

by the end of the night he had kids in capes running up to him and patting him on the head, hugging him around the neck and was generally an amazing example of perfect dober-dragon behaviour.

I even ran into one group of adults who just LOVED him and one lady said as she patted him " if i ever got a dog, it would be a doberman...... and i HATE dogs"... lexx looked proud of himself.

After the 1.5 hours or trick or dog-cookie-ing we took him the RONA in his costume where he got MORE love.

Needless to say he was one EXHAUSTED puppy by the end of the night.

I am so proud of my boy. Lexx by nature is a very anxious dog, he gets quite upset easily and overwhelmed often. I am so proud that he was a wonderful ambassador for the breed and that he took to the chaos of hallowe'en quite well. I feel that this is a HUGE step for him and I'm just SO happy. The only time he got upset was when the girls ran up to a door and we waited on the street. He didn't like members of his "pack" running away into the dark and he would squeak and stare after them. I would ask him to down and he listened but I could tell that he was perturbed. After I started going up to every door with him, he was much happier.

As A side note to this post. I would like to congratulate Tab and Redders for a PERFECT score of 100 on their very first rally novice trial. I am absolutely amazed with the perfection that they are together and she doesn't know it but she is a big part of my inspiration to do wonderful things with Lexx as well. We are both first time dog owners and I really look up to both her and Red and everything that they've accomplished. Congrats! I knew that you could do it!