# She impressed even me!!!



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

So today, in an effort to get Shasta used to the new van so she's comfy in it and we hopefully have no carsickness incidents on our trip in a couple weeks we loaded her up in the van with us and went to Tractor Supply as our first stop. Hubby and the kids looked around while Shasta and i practiced focus and obedience walking around the store. THEN we loaded back up and headed to Petsmart where naturally training is a little tougher because of the various distractions and an 8 month old pup.... yeah.... she was a little tough to deal with but i did it. I'm trying to keep her just on her flat collar for training. I'd like to just be able to clip the leash and go. But we may move up to a prong. We tried a slip chain and didnt even phase her. Prong however she noticed. Anyway back to the original story. While hubby and the kids were looking at fish and adoptable kitty cats and various other critters in the store, Shasta and i were working on socialization and obedience. I worked her on focus using heel. I do a slow heel and a fast heel. When doing the slow heel we walk really slowly so she focuses on me harder to stay in line with me. Then i'll speed up and slow down. I use voice commands as well such as 'slow' when i want her to slow down and then 'quick' when i speed up. I've also been training the 'stop' command. Anyway she was doing very well with sound distractions from another dog barking and she's learning to not be so obnoxious when she see's another dog. At one point, just before we were getting ready to leave, a couple little girls came over and asked if they could pet her. I had Shasta sit and after a minute she went straight into a down for me. One of the girls continued to love on while the other went to get a couple friends. Pretty soon Shasta had 4 or 5 kids just hanging on her. She soaked it up like a sponge! She impressed even me because she was so calm and cool about it and just acted like it was an every day thing for strange kids to be hugging her and in her face for kisses and everything. It was great. She did sooooooo well. I must be doing something right! Shasta did a VERY good job. I'm so proud of my pup. She even happily rolled over for a short belly rub. 

Also, I impressed another dog owner. Pretty proud of my breed knowledge base lol. We were heading out the door and i looked around one last time and suddenly a large black dog with an unusual coat came into view. I told hubby i would be there in a minute and promptly changed direction. The gentleman was VERY impressed that i knew his dog was curly coated retriever. He said i was the first person in a year of him having had this dog (the dog is about 8 years old and gotten from a breeder he'd been returned to when he was 7) thats including a vet! He was so pleased i knew what the heck his dog was he was more than happy to tell me why he was so surprised and it was because the breed isnt widely known in the states because they're not like a lab. They require more and they're like our GSDs who need a job to do. They're pretty popular in New Zealand and Australia though. 

It was a good day. Shasta did so well!!!


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

Congrats to you and Shasta. I took my Shasta for a walk with the prong collar and I still can't get her to stay in a solid heel position. But at least she doesn't jerk my shoulder out of the socket anymore.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

paulag1955 said:


> Congrats to you and Shasta. I took my Shasta for a walk with the prong collar and I still can't get her to stay in a solid heel position.* But at least she doesn't jerk my shoulder out of the socket anymore*.


 
thats a plus!!! I did a test run on an extra prong we have at the house, the first time she pulled..... she gave me this look like 'what the heck was that?!' and didnt pull the rest of the time. She would start to pull and then remembered the pokey thing around her neck and would correct. So i think we'll start using the prong and go back to just flat collar when she's older and not nearly as interested in everything. She'll do good on her regular collar for a couple minutes and then she sniffs at something and forgets for a momet until i pop that leash.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

Shasta does better with my husband because he just walks faster. I think my pace is painfully slow for her, but I have short legs!


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

yay Shasta 1 and Shasta 2!! lol. I had to put Dodgie back on the prong for our petsmart visit today just because he hasn't been there in a while and I knew there were going to be a lot of dogs there, he did so well even when a big dog got all nasty on him he didn't even flinch he just ignored it and kept walking with me :wub: so I'm hoping he'll do better on his CGC next month.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

DCluver33 said:


> yay Shasta 1 and Shasta 2!! lol. I had to put Dodgie back on the prong for our petsmart visit today just because he hasn't been there in a while and I knew there were going to be a lot of dogs there, he did so well even when a big dog got all nasty on him he didn't even flinch he just ignored it and kept walking with me :wub: so I'm hoping he'll do better on his CGC next month.


 
thats awesome!!! We have fingers and paws crossed you guys make it this time!!!! Sounds like you've made some GREAT progress with him!


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

DCluver33 said:


> yay Shasta 1 and Shasta 2!! lol. I had to put Dodgie back on the prong for our petsmart visit today just because he hasn't been there in a while and I knew there were going to be a lot of dogs there, he did so well even when a big dog got all nasty on him he didn't even flinch he just ignored it and kept walking with me :wub: so I'm hoping he'll do better on his CGC next month.


That is super! I'm afraid my Shasta's not quite there yet, though.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

paulag1955 said:


> That is super! I'm afraid my Shasta's not quite there yet, though.


 
same here. Shasta either hits the deck or gets snappy right back which is fine because at least she's willing to defend herself in some cases which is okay by me but she's also easily excitable when she see's another dog so we've been working as much as possible on proper reaction and introductions. No plans to CGC certify her but maybe when she's older and has better focus lol


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

KZoppa said:


> thats awesome!!! We have fingers and paws crossed you guys make it this time!!!! Sounds like you've made some GREAT progress with him!


I'm proud that our almost most daily visits to pet stores are helping plus he's older, and he was in his prong, but I didn't even pull on it and this dog freaked out on us too snarling, snapping, growling.


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

paulag1955 said:


> That is super! I'm afraid my Shasta's not quite there yet, though.


thanks! 

sorry to hijack KZoopa's thread


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## Veronica1 (Jun 22, 2010)

Excellent job! I need to work on slowing myself down and paying more attention to Panzer (guess I need to work on MY focus!). I am usually on a mission and forget to make Panzer do what he should be doing. I need to make a few store trips with less distractions for me.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

DCluver33 said:


> I'm proud that our almost most daily visits to pet stores are helping plus he's older, and he was in his prong, but I didn't even pull on it and this dog freaked out on us too snarling, snapping, growling.


 
see thats great! i wish i could go every day to work with Shasta but i cant. every store i can take her is a a good amount of gas used away. i try to go a couple times a week thought and can do it on more of a regular basis since i quit my job.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Excellent job! I need to work on slowing myself down and paying more attention to Panzer (guess I need to work on MY focus!). I am usually on a mission and forget to make Panzer do what he should be doing. I need to make a few store trips with less distractions for me.


 
lol. i get distracted myself sometimes so when that happens its almost like Shasta corrects me. haha. i see something shiney and i'm like ooh pretty! and Shasta is like HEY! Who's training who here?! hehe


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

KZoppa said:


> see thats great! i wish i could go every day to work with Shasta but i cant. every store i can take her is a a good amount of gas used away. i try to go a couple times a week thought and can do it on more of a regular basis since i quit my job.


that sucks that you can't go more than a couple times a week. She'll get there eventually she's only what 8 months old?


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

DCluver33 said:


> that sucks that you can't go more than a couple times a week. She'll get there eventually she's only what 8 months old?


 
yeah as of the 5th. I personally think for her age and partial ability to do training and time spent, she's doing fabulously. But i have some more time now so i can get back to doing everything else besides sleeping and going to work. She's pretty calm and laid back. Sometimes we have a bit of obnoxious puppy brat going on but easily corrected with a firm no or BAD.


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

KZoppa said:


> yeah as of the 5th. I personally think for her age and partial ability to do training and time spent, she's doing fabulously. But i have some more time now so i can get back to doing everything else besides sleeping and going to work. She's pretty calm and laid back. Sometimes we have a bit of obnoxious puppy brat going on but easily corrected with a firm no or BAD.


I think you're doing a great job with her.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

I can never get Shasta out anymore because we're operating with just one vehicle right now.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

Good job Shasta! I so need to get back to training with Max. He is a real pita lately and it is my fault, he is a bored dog!


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

paulag1955 said:


> I can never get Shasta out anymore because we're operating with just one vehicle right now.


lol yeah.... that was another reason we got the van. I tend to go a little cry when i cant go anywhere all day because hubby has the car unless i want to wake up at 5 am and take him to work. i'm trying to get on some kind of normal sleep schedule to try and help with the insomnia issue but its not working out so well..... I've almost stopped walking the dogs just because the kids around here are so rude and annoying i dont want to deal with them but we've increased our time in the yard. Though luckily, my dogs are pretty lazy and are content to lounge around on something soft chewing on a bone! 



vat said:


> Good job Shasta! I so need to get back to training with Max. He is a real pita lately and it is my fault, he is a bored dog!


 
eh its okay. he is a boy too lol. Riley has been driving me kinda batty but its only because he wants to chase reflections on the wall from my mirror or my phone. he is kinda OCD. I need to be able to take him out to the petsmart and have him not be such a handful though. he's leash aggressive/exciteable so stores or walks are difficult sometimes.


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