Better days

Up and down at the moment. We had a much much better day yesterday. Probably because I had to go back a few steps to make sure he was calm and able to manage being out. We went up to Epple Bay where I was able to park right next to the path down to the sea. The path is a steep slope, with a high stone wall either side. So no sideways distractions and the goal of getting to the sea in front. I've started using the parking technique I learnt from H where I stand on part of a long lead if I need to do things with my hands like when I faff around getting out of the car and he's excited. It stops him pulling me all over the place and calms him down. A lot of Grey's pulling is to do with him easily being able to pull me off balance.

Once we had calm and managed to do a nice training walk down to the bay. I guess this could be a bit of a premack principle. In any case I could see it working for him. He wanted to get there, and the only way we were getting there is a on a loose lead. The other cool thing was we had the whole bay to ourselves and there was only one entrance and exit. So we did loads of nice recalls and this ways and finding food.

At home we've been practising the release cue from sit. And he's doing really well with that. Yay!

Today I drove up to the fields where we've sometimes walked to with friends. I decided to drive as the walk would have been too stressful to get there and it ends up taking me ages. Practised LLW lots and then a lovely session on the pathway. There were about 3 vans that came trundling down the bumpy farm path where we were walking on lead. He did really really well and I got him to 'leave it' and sit nicely for treats. So I'm so proud of him and releived we have light at the end of the tunnel that he can get over this. Just have to remember times like this on the next time I get stressed out. And another thing that has been so good for us both is that he hasn't had to have his headcollar on in weeks and is being managed without an antipull harness either.

Managing Reactivity

Grey in his TTouch body wrap. Totally crashed out last night after we got home.

Grey has been really reactive to traffic again. So we've had to go back to basics on dealing with this. I'm going through a process of getting him to look at me and engage with me when he has seen a van or lorry come before he starts to stiffen and react. I'm thinking of ordering Control Unleashed as a lot of what I'm trying to do sounds like it's covered in there. Yesterday I had a horrible walk with him in the evening where he was basically very tense and totally alert. When stopped from charging around he started lunging and barking at everything. I managed to calm him down eventually and did some more TTouch on him.

We'd been out to see a lady called Jacqui at the weekend who is a TTouch practitioner. She was really lovely and Grey really liked her. We have some techniques to work through and the body wrap which I just use a horse tail bandage. The names of the TTouches we're using are: clouded leopard, raccoon, mouth touch, ear touch, belly lift, tail touch. There is another we do that I can't remember the name of. I took heart from the positive stories I've heard from Jacqui and another couple of friends who have worked through problems with reactive dogs and they have come through it.

More info on TTouch:
UK TTouch Team
http://www.ttouchtteam.com/
TTouch on Youtube

Today has been a much better day. I did small training walks in front of the house. Just hanging out on the corner puppy style being calm near the traffic. Then in the park (once traffic had died down and it was quiet) I've long lined him so he's not been charging around. We pottered around and did a bit of scentwork. I'm going to work up to letting him off in the next few days. He was fine on the walk home and we managed to get back on the flat collar by clickering him increasing 1 step at a time 300 peck heeling all the way home.