Thursday, January 5, 2012

Minute by Minute

I am wondering if I need to exercise Haddie ... a lot. I have my moments of taking her for walks, and running her in the backyard, but on days such as this where the weather is extremely damp, and cold, and I am still fighting a cough, it is hard to stay motivated in that area.

Haddie had two bursts of energy in the house today. Sigh. My least favorite part. As a result, she is back to dragging her long leash around. Otherwise, she is truly a dog on the loose with no "real way" to stop her burst of excitement, energy, naughtiness, whatevers when she is non-compliant.

She is at my feet doing an Under at my computer desk as I type. So far, so good.

Earlier in the day we went on two outings. She was amazing. I am grateful, and don't take it for granted, how well behaved she is in public. Perhaps I just need to stay out more (wink).

We headed to Costco shortly after they opened and we experienced the shopping cart as a team for the first time. I only had three items on my list, but I knew it would require a shopping cart - and we would eventually need to try this out anyway.

Haddie was fantastic. She didn't try to race the cart, until we were headed to the car on the way out. I think she was just happy to get some fresh air. I have noticed that about her - or she knows that a Hurry break is coming and she wants to get on with it.

But in the store she walked by my side and behind the cart. I was very proud.  We went a combo of slow and fast, and she continued her obedience.  I had to lift a heavy box of juice into my cart, so I had Haddie stay in a Sit and looped her leash around my arm "just in case".  During this trial a mom and her young daughter in a cart stopped to watch.

Nothing like pressure on your first try juggling a dog, a cart, and a heavy box of Capri-Suns.

But Haddie succeeded like a Pro! Yea!!! I received a "Nicely done!" from the mom and then she turned to leave, sharing about Service Dogs in Training with her daughter. When it was time to pay, the customer behind me offered to lift the box out of the cart, as he saw the cute puppy sitting and staring up at me. I thanked him for the offer, but shared that this was part of her training and I'd have to do it myself.  Thankfully, Haddie held her Stay at that moment too.

Our second trip was to another grocery store - ya' know, cuz Costco doesn't always have everything. That was a trip where I could get by with just a hand basket. The only mention for this was Haddie's interest in the opposite aisle, where a child was playing with a squeeky toy in the pet section. While she continued to stay with me, she was definitely more interested in the noise than me.

Minute by Minute ... Haddie is still at the age of unpredictability. A learning lesson for me to be creative, and for her to learn compliance no matter her inner desires.

I am curious how you exercise your Pup in Training during the winter months ~ any suggestions?

9 comments:

  1. Mall walking, hallway walking at my school after hours...I think they need to make indoor doggie gyms...

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  2. With my pups on program I have them sit or down stay in one part of the room and then go and "hide". Then I call them to "come!". If they aren't ready to sit or down stay and let me leave the room I have a family member hold them. It tires them out good! :) The other thing is we sometimes go to the mall and do mall walking. They get some experience and exercise. :)

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  3. Carlin - YES to indoor doggie gyms!!

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  4. Love the Hide game - I will be doing that this evening!! And yes, Mall Walking will need to be added too.

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  5. I do the hide game all the time. They love it and it help builds recalls too.

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  6. Hey there! I'm a lurker on your blog. Don't post often, but I love to read about Haddie. :)

    My first puppy was an hyperactive girl. Where I live, we dont' exactly get winter. We have our rainy season. Haha! It was still hard to exercise her because of all the rain and chill. I couldn't figure out a better way so I walked her in the early, early morning. If it was raining to hard I would exercise her in the house. We'd play tug for about an hour (as that's how long our walk ususall was). Or I would get on the floor and wrestle with her. Anything so that when she went with my father to work she wouldn't be too rambunctious. There were sometimes I would breathe in real deep and brace the rain. But she was that kind of dog. No exercise meant extremely naughty.

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  7. We'll play hide-n-seek and a game of retrieve to get Carver some exercise when the weather is bad. One of us will go upstairs and the other stays downstairs. We keep him going back and forth till he gets tired. Works great when incorporating sit, down and recall!

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  8. A few scent work games are always fun, I'll hide a few rawhides, or stuffed Kongs and let the pups find them. Mostly it's just walking though. Cold as it may be we're out every day, we may look like a slightly deranged Eskimo tribe, but hey, it's good for us! :)

    So glad that Miss Haddie is doing so well! She's going to make a fantastic SD one day.

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  9. Great ideas!! Thanks so much and keep 'em coming!! And I agree, a walk in the cold is good for US, just soooooo hard to get the nerve up to jump into the Eskimo suit and go for it. I don't mind weekends, cuz I come home to a hot shower, but the logistics of that M-F is harder. But...enough excuses!! =)

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