Little steps at a time

Yesterday I took a different approach to training. Even though I know I've read that people fall into the trap of moving too far too quickly when lead training goes. Somehow that doesn't sink in when you're concentrating on trying to get from A to B. Or trying to get it to work quicker so you can get from A to B. The brief glimpses of Grey walking by my side that I've had, have been so pleasant, I clung onto the thought of it thinking he could do it again. Just the next step if not this one. But that is what's called running before one can walk aka in training terms, lumping. Moving too big a step forward before the dog is ready and proofed, able to perform at a lower level. Grey can walk nicely in the house and round the back yard, but not on the street in front of my house or on walks.

One of the problems is where I live. I live on a hugely busy corner. It's one of the main pedestrian walks into town. On the direct route to the park where lots of dogs go. A main cross roads for cars cutting through the town. My house has raised steps and is right on the corner. When we come out the front door, Grey is confronted by busy traffic and people that have stopped to cross a confusing junction. The atmosphere is quite tense with people scrabbling to get their kids under control to make a dash for it across the road and cars revving to get their slot to cross.

Yesterday morning I went out in the sunshine for an offlead walk by Botany Bay. Grey had good interactions with other dogs. Brief hellos and move ons if a little bouncy. When we were down on the beach investigating a cave, out of nowhere bounded a young male vizsla. He was much leaner and ganglier than Grey a very different shape altogether. They had a short teenage romp together until the owner caught up.

On the way back to the car we did lead training on the quiet footpath. But Grey was never really settled into it. It seemed really endless the number of stops I had to make. He would go round the end of the lead like a compass and string. Over and over. But no matter, we continued this until we got back to the car.

In the afternoon I decided to leave the 6ft wide solid gate to the back yard open to the street. I then got Grey out and started walking him round the yard as I normally would have done with the gate closed. He was slightly distracted but not really. I was using the ham and cheese primula cheese in a tube as one thing I'd noticed is that he gets snatchy on the street and often treats fall to the floor which in turn raises the excitement of hunting for them. The cheese delivery helps save my fingers and also he's looking at my face when he's eating.

So we worked the backyard and slowly edged toward the open gate and the pavement. We managed to get out on the pavement and worked while cars, vans and people with prams and walking sticks passed. Everytime he drifted out of focus with me I would gently edge back into the yard. By the end of the short session we managed to walk up and down 20ft each side of the entrance at rush hour. Hopefully something to build on.

Later we ran through some 'up up' and 'off' training getting on and off the sofa. I was reminded to sort this out by a friend as part of dealing with his humping behaviour. We did about 100 reps. Can't believe I had forgotten to get this solid.