The Captain In Boot Camp

Yesterday was our first lesson with Ms. Malone, the dog trainer, hereafter to be referred to as "Cookie Lady" in deference to the Captain's perceptions. They clicked immediately and he spent the entire session parked at her feet looking up at her with attentive subservience whenever she wasn't demonstrating commands.

She taught us several useful commands, including the "take it, leave it" game. I hadn't taught him "take it" before, and it really adds to the training. To play the game, you put a kibble on his paw and say "Leave it." Then another on the other paw and say "leave it." Then you put a kibble wherever and tell him to "take it."

Repeat as needed until he ignores whatever you put on him until told to do otherwise.

She had her method so down pat that several times he obeyed commands he didn't even know yet--on the first try. I think it was mostly how confident and brisk she was and how casually she corrected his mistakes with simple businesslike taps on the nose or back of the neck. It was really awesome to watch, although he still tends to flinch and run away when I try her tricks. Practice makes perfect, I reckon:



We also put lots of energy and time into "stay" training. By the time she was done with him, he would be solid as a rock even as I tugged at his leash because he hadn't been told "All done." With practice, he's going to be a hell of a good companion animal.

Getting a professional trainer was SUCH a good idea. Next session is the 29th and we're going to focus on door manners and a few tricks involving a footstool, as well as leash manners. That's his worst area by far--he has begun trying to pull again, even with his gentle leader on. Not like it was, but I want a dog who will not need a leash to heel and who will come back immediately when called if he gets loose.

In the space between now and then, we'll be practicing the stuff we covered in this first lesson on a daily basis. I'm happy to note that several of the things she wanted us to do were things I've been doing since we got him, like putting him through all his commands in random order, rapid-fire.

I photographed the Captain during this morning's training session. Call this an exercise in both "leave it" and "stay." Or call it rampant sadism; I'll gladly cop to it.









Then when I had finished laying out the kibbles, I told him "All done!" and let him eat every single one as a reward.

Oh Captain My Captain

Commands my dog could occasionally obey when I got him from the kennel: Sit.

Commands my dog can reliably obey almost a month later: Sit, Lie Down, Stay, Back Up, Pray, and (as of this morning) Shake.

Commands we're working on: Evolve (walking about on hind legs), Stay on Grass Verge, Ring Bell to Go Out, Come When Called, IGNORE CAT, Ignore Traffic Noise. And heel. DEAR GOD, HEEL.

Behavioral problems when I first got him: Digging in trash, peeing in submission every five seconds, jumping over his barrier, chasing the cat, throwing tantrums when penned, bolting when on leash.

Behavioral problems today: peeing in submission every three days or so if he hasn't been out for a while and something really exciting happens, chasing the cat, bolting on leash.

He mastered 'shake' in about five minutes with the help of a small dish containing a teaspoon of chunky peanut butter. Every time he did what I asked, he got a few licks at the peanut butter and a lot of praise and petting.

We're also going to start classes at the local PetSmart this week; probably not tonight, since I haven't been to bed yet and have an update to work on, but maybe tomorrow.

He's much less neurotic than when I first brought him here, but he still panics and flies to the end of his leash when a bus goes by. I've been able to get him to come along one block of University Avenue, but that's his absolute limit and he will go on to pull and misbehave for almost the entire walk home. Whenever he tries to drag me, I just stop and stand there til he sits down. It makes for more tedious walks, but seems to help.

Loose dogs still wander the area. The other day we barely missed being accosted by a border collie on one end of the block and a huge German Shepherd on the other. Despite avoiding other dogs, he still managed to bring home fleas from outside, and I gotta go buy something to kill the little bastards before they take over the house.

Tonight we're going to get a jump on 'heel' if it fucking kills me, because my right arm is SORE from holding him back. For such a smart dog, he sure seems content to slowly strangle himself on behalf of whatever smell he's trying to chase down.

That said, did you know Mr. Winkle is all over frickin' YouTube!? I don't normally melt over little bitty dogs, but I worship that little alien puffball in his every incarnation. I had NO IDEA he was famous outside of the picture books, but in retrospect I guess it was inevitable. See?





I take back everything I've said--not all terrifying toy breeds are yappy evil little fucks. Some of them are quiet evil little fucks with cute smiley faces!