Sunny day in Blean Woods

We headed out to Blean today after I'd finished work at home. Sun was shining and it was positively spring like. Better not speak too soon! We had a great walk just mooching through the woods. I played hide and seek with him to keep him from running off too far. He generally roamed about 5 metres to the side, but mostly about 20 metres to 50 ahead. Stopping on every bend. He was mostly out of sight for just a couple of seconds.

Here's who we came across:
A lady with a young entire male lab. Bouncy greeting, some chasing of each other and we went our way. Grey was really muddy by this time and the labs owner spied this!

Loan man bird watching. Did a slow wide berth of us and we did the same. No tension from Grey, which was great.

Lone man wood cutting. Grey had a look but didn't go over.

Couple eating picnic on tree stump. Alert! Alert! But was fine. Grey didn't go over when I told him this way. Sandwiches were safe!

Here are a couple of pics and videos:

Whistle Recall:





General mooching about:

Lounging

Snow came to the lido

Snow has come

Finally snow has come. Tonight it has snowed big fat flakes that land on your tongue and melt on your eyelashes as you walk. I hope it lasts until the morning when we can get out into it, have fun and take photographs. But mostly run about like loons.

Today in the morning there was only a light dusting while the rest of the country has ground to a halt. Grey and I went out to Botany Bay at about 10am. It was peaceful weather. No wind, very still and not really too cold. But then, I'm a northerner and perhaps hardier!

I waited for Grey to stop barking as I do every day. I opened the boot and waited for him to sit down before opening the crate door. You can see the anticipation in his eyes. He's so waiting for this. The chance to run. We head off to the left of the top field and across to cliff edge side. There was a small brown poodle who ran up to us. Grey was really sweet and play bowed and the usual chase me routine started. Grey came away and we moved towards our sandy slope down. We did three turns of the wait and run game and then carried on the top field. I acted silly for him and chased him and got him to chase me. I recalled him back up the main slope to the beach too which he did Dave with Ivy and Kass on the beach. Grey was really good with them.

New year's resolutions

Destressing my life with Grey. We're on to day two of this and so far we're having a great time. I decided after chatting with friends, to take a step back with Grey's lead walking training. We've gone back to just going out for his runs in the car and working offlead together for a good hour. He's been much more relaxed and so have I. Just having a little breather from the daily stress of hanging on to the lead as he pulls around on it and is generally too switched on.

He's been much much better anyway in his behaviour towards greeting other dogs. Has been more attentive and has come away from quite a few onlead dogs that he had spotted and was on his way over already to say hello to.

I've been talking to someone about Grey's early life before I got him. The importance of early puppy stimulation and socialisation from when their eyes and ears are open at 3 weeks old. It's no secret that you should choose your puppy carefully and ideally, they will have been exposed to many experiences of normal family life. Perhaps Grey's reactiveness coupled with his early illnesses and prolonged dental treatment have come together to explain why he's a very sensitive and reactive dog to outside stimuli.

Muted Pack Theory

I really like this post on dominance and pack theory from Angela at Fun4Fido.co.uk. I especially like the section on muted pack theory. It struck a chord with me, as over the last 18 months I tried to find a trainer who provided what they advertised, that is positive training. Every time they revealed themselves to not truly believe in a positive reward based ideology and usually sent me home with a programme to ignore Grey when I come home, not to look at him, not to allow him through doors first, not to eat first etc.

SATS - wots all that about, then?

A friend has tried SATS on their dog and is really pleased with it as a methodology. I must admit I'm quite confused as to the science of how it works compared to clicker training. There is more talk, more explaining does this mean more anthropomorphising during training?

I'm not switching or trying anything yet. Just having a look and posting the info.

I found these links of what it sounds like and some videos on the site.