Micro(wave) Training

Dog training does not happen in weekly classes or sessions — it happens in the continuous, everyday moments of a dog’s life.

I have written about this before but it bears repeating — the microwave is a great training tool!

No, do not attempt to put the dog in the microwave! Rather, do a micro training session whenever you are using the microwave.

I do not like cold coffee and so I wind up heating coffee a fair amount each morning — the dogs know this is their clue to come to class!

Claire, Sparkle, Capella — three generations reporting to class

One of my current microwave training goals is to teach Capella a reliable down, sit, and wait.

Capella

Yes, I know she is nine months old and her siblings likely all know those things BUT she has been studying other things — like how to be a show dog.

Check out Aubrey’s jacket — the envy of all Bright Star humans!

Pozy gets quick Scentwork lessons during some microwave sessions…

Claire practices dumbbell holds while the microwave is doing it’s microwavey thing…

Everyone gets cookies when they get it right — except me. I get hot coffee…

The sessions are 30 - 60 seconds long and very effective. My dogs have learned all kinds of things while that microwave is warming up my coffee. Keep small treats handy and you will be all set…

Try it — you will be surprised at how much progress can be made in these very micro training sessions.

Have a wonderful weekend!

The Young Ones

My dogs are neatly divided by age groups right now — I have two veterans (Harper and Sparkle), two young dogs (Capella and Pozy) and Claire in the middle. This is a great mix for me.

Pozy and Capella

You have heard a lot about Capella lately…

Capella at nine months

Yes, Capella is like a Pot o’ Gold — consolation from the Universe for everything. Capella was also ready for fall shows…

I have already paid for this photo but have not received it — so I feel okay about using a watermarked version. Capella at 7+ months, first points.

Pozy was not. That doesn’t mean anything. It is normal and expected that dogs are ready to show at different times, based on things like coat and physical development and mental readiness.

Pozy (Major x Daisy) suffered a bit when we had the two litters — how could she not? She was only eight months old when life came to a screeching halt as 10 + 10 puppies arrived.

But she was a solid puppy and is bouncing back just fine.

Pozy is brilliant — a quick and eager learner, and showing an unusual aptitude for agility, which thrills me. But seriously — everything she is doing now in training is going well: Obedience, tracking, agility, draft, scentwork. She is my kind of dog — a do-everything-well dog. I absolutely adore her.

Sometimes I worry that it might seem that everything is all about Capella — just know that it is also all about Pozy Clarkia (and Claire and Harper and Sparkle).

Love is like that — it just seems to go on and on and on and on…

Fall

I love this photo of Sparkler, Ruthie (Major x Sparkle)…

This is Ruthie’s Bright Star niece, Suki, who is keeping an eye on the neighbors up there in Alaska…

Suki’s littermate, Zuber, has recently grown both legs and ears!

Growth is definitely in spurts and pieces, isn’t it?!

This is Bright Star Tobie — it looks like his ears have also had a growth spurt…

I noticed the same for Capella recently — her ears just seem a bit bigger.

No worries! Their heads will catch up.

rePete notes that his ears are perfect.

Happy Sunday to you. I hope fall is lovely — wherever you are.