IAADP Training Requirements: Weekly Training Overview...

Owner's Name: Lara Knight

Dog’s Name: Elsa Sifdottir Nightslayer
Age: 15 weeks
Week of:

June 2-8, 2014  Total Hours(6 hrs on Site) + (0 hrs Outings)

Health: 

- Having problems with diarrhea a couple of days.  Much better by the end of the week.

- Sleeping more than usual, but things have been pretty hectic so I'm not too worried.

- Our next vet meeting is June 23 

- Trimmed nails and bathed Wednesday night (I wanted her to be perfect for the temperament test Thursday morning!!!  I am trying hard not to be nervous. I don't want my nervousness to transfer to her for the test.)  Bathing went easier than ever!!!  She even turned around when I asked her with a little treat encouragement!!

Problems:

- I need her to begin liking the brush so that eventually she will want to be brushed.  She is accepting it more and more, but not liking it.  This will allow her to bring me the brush when I start picking at my eczema.  I am not sure how to encourage it. 

- Walking nicely on a leash has backslid a bit recently.  I feel certain it is because we have been at dog parks more than out walking the last couple of weeks.  Tuesday morning and evening we walked a good distance, working on loose leash walking/heeling.  We also jogged a bit, but not for long... 15 weeks is too early to try a 5K!!  We are also doing backpack weight starting Thursday.

- She's gained a new anxiety issue.  If I take her out first and then take Britta in the mornings for pooping, she yelps the entire time I'm gone, even though she's starving and needs to eat.  She whines when I leave.  I hope the daycare helps a bit of this.  I want her to be attached, but confident.

Outings:

- We Talk Dog temperament test Thursday

Socialization: 
- Went to the dog park Tuesday morning.  We had a good time and she met a new dog.  The new dog didn't like her jumping and began to bark with its ears back.  It was only annoyed and it surprised Elsa, but I didn't wait for it to get any more aggressive before leaving.

- Daddy was going to walk Elsa and Britta Wednesday morning.  Unfortunately there were some behavior problems and Elsa got away and jumped in a strangers car!!!  So I came and got her to walk instead.  We heeled to the park near us, but then we played and I let her wander while we walked back.

- The temperament test Thursday at "We Talk Dog" was nervewracking.  This test is just to see if the pup is ready to be in a play group at daycare.  I've decided it would be a good idea to get her out of the house at least once a week while I sleep and get some socialization.  Anything to help curb the excitement of seeing other dogs will be awesome.  I was scared she would mess up somehow, but of course she passed the test almost instantly with no issues.  They called to let me know and said she could stay around for a few hours if I wanted.  I let her and when I came back to pick her up she was SO GOOD!

- Friday, daddy took both of the pups to Greensprings' dog park while I slept.  I wasn't feeling well at all.  It lasted through Saturday.

- Saturday, we all went to the Hoover dog park for the first time.  Both the girls had a blast playing with other dogs.  I worked with Elsa on recall and it is getting better and better in new situations like this!

Obedience: 
- This week we hyper-focused on recall.  Everywhere we went.  Dog park, on normal walks, at home, everywhere.

- We have also begun using "left" and "right" on walks 

Service Dog Tasks: 
- Still working on bottle/ball/bag.  No real progress on identification.  Currently, I am placing her paw on the item, saying the word, then treating.  Sometimes she paws it herself, but I guess we are too early on in the process to make this really work.  I feel like Anne Sullivan.

- Elsa is slowly learning that running after the laser is good.  Sometimes it shows her hidden treats, sometimes when she stretches up the wall to catch it I give her a treat, etc.  Britta is a lot more interested in it.

- Her "boop" is getting better.  She doesn't try to bite my hand anymore.  She just touches my finger with her nose.

- We are working on cuddling a little longer.  She is accepting of this and eventually it will turn into deep pressure therapy.

- We are starting to really work on fetch as a more serious command.  Her "drop it" is a lot better.

- I am going to start having her bother me at a certain time of day to get a special treat.  This way I will be likely to take my meds.  I'm not sure what time is going to be best, but I'm beginning to lean toward 5:30 pm.  That way, no matter what day it is, I should be able to train.

Manners: 
- Going to have to work on begging when I have food.  Working on curbing the food obsession will be a really good thing for us.  We have worked on sit/stay while I'm eating.  Tuesday morning, I had a donut and she was reaching for it.  I gave a sit and she listened.  When I released her, she found something else to get interested in!!

- Stay has become better.  This coming week we are going to work on me leaving the room and her continuing with a stay until I return.

Comments:
- This is my busy week at dispatch, so we spent a lot less time going places and a lot more time working together at home and exploring dog parks

- I went through a med change this week so I wasn't as consistent in training as I should have been.  My doc is leaning toward calling my issues panic disorder, though currently they fall under depression.

- Started work on the car harness.  It doesn't fit well, but hopefully she will grow into it pretty quick.  She didn't like me putting it on her the first time, she wanted to chew, but after she got used to it, there were no more problems.  Next week we shall try to actually lock her into the seat... everyone keep your fingers crossed!!!

- I want to start playing hide and seek so that eventually we will be able to search the home for intruders.

- I need to get an alarm clock for a cue.

- I slept pretty much all day Monday, so there wasn't any activity.  She didn't seem to mind the break.  From here on out, I'm going to try to anticipate the days that this will happen and give her

- I'm disappointed that we can't seem to get in touch with my friend who has a jack russel. I feel like Elsa needs to be around a terrier some.  It would help because they would match her energy level.

- Two weeks til the next Bark Box comes in!!!!  UGH!! I can hardly wait.  We are out of nice treats and I'm ready to have something high value besides hot dogs to feed her.

- I put a bit of bacon grease in her peanut butter Saturday.  THAT was a HUGE hit!!