The Baby Halos did a bunch of new stuff this week!
Kate enjoying some outdoor time and Karma appreciating being able to be somewhere the puppies can’t bug her.
We did some barrier challenges for food. Since they reliably respond to the puppy call and come running to eat, we put their food bowl behind an ex-pen panel. Farrah and Kate figured it out very quickly. Seriously, nothing gets between Farrah and her food! Bosley is a little less motivated, so it took him three sessions to show the exceptional problem solving ability we were looking for. Now we are making it harder and harder each day and they are totally rocking it!
Bosley coming out of the tunnel. Puppies are getting good at all kinds of obstacles.
We also played the box game. The first round we were looking for them to just touch the box with any body part like a nose or paw. All three figured out very quickly that touching the box meant they got a click and a cookie. In our second session I was looking for the puppy to figure out that taking step into the box got the click and cookie. Kate and Bosley totally figured it out and even took steps into the box with more than one foot. Farrah still just kinda wanted to nose around it, but never fear, by her third session she had it totally figured out.
Kate sleeping in between training sessions. Important to keep training sessions short and positive, followed by rest.
Puppy Culture is big on Manding — which is the puppies way of figuring out that they need to sit when they want something. Think of it as providing the dog a way to communicate with you. So we started this week shaping a sit. Again, Kate and Bosley were our clicker training stars and figured it out in the first session. By the second session, they were sitting champions. Now we are working on translating it that they have to sit before we open the door for their ex-pen.
Kate manding — cutest thing you’ve ever seen, right?!
This week was also spent working on exchanges with the puppies. We took their raw, meaty bone away, gave treats, then gave their bone right back. Picked them up in the middle of fun play, treated, and then let them back down. Touched all parts of their bodies and gave treats. Gave treats during stacking sessions and while getting their nails trimmed. Very happy to report that they either had no reaction or where happy to receive treats. So far, so good!