The One With the Training Log

My boss has suggested that I start a training log to record all of Muggsy's blowups. I am supposed to see a trend where they get farther apart or quit giving him the medicene because it isn't doing any good.

I am sad to report that so far, not so good. Muggsy attacked Chubbs Thursday and then yesterday, he growled at Ross when asked to get off the bed. To be fair, we had been sleeping there together for more than an hour, so we were both pretty comfortable. I think he was just expressing his displeasure because after growling, he immediately jumped off the bed. However, it's still a blowup, three days from the last one. That's not very good.

So this week, my training goals for Muggsy are to practice getting off the bed, doing down-stays in his spot, practicing come, right and heel, and starting to learn targeting and left. I just plan to do a couple of quick sessions each day and record how each training session goes. I'm also going to reward him for the appropriate responses to Chubbs and outdoor responses. Probably next week, I'm going to start training him how to act when people walk by the house. I just want to get his commands pretty strong first.

My training goals for Chubbs are to work on down-stays on his spot and shake. I'm also going to teach him to heel. I'm going to work with Fenway on down-stays, come and teaching her to walk after the up command.

So that's what I have going this week. Tonight is my last graduation class and I get two weeks off before the next round starts. I do have one private lesson next week and I have to work some nights and weekends with my other job, but I'll have a little free time. That will be a good amount of time to work with the dogs.