# Halo - sit and down in motion!



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Halo is in a CGC class and part of our homework this week is to drill sits and downs. Her sits and downs are excellent, but I've worked with them more with her in front of me or stationary at my side, so I thought I'd do a little work throwing them in while also working on off leash heeling around the house and the yard. I've been spent most of my training for the class on loose leash walking around distractions because keeping her focus and not having her pull to go meet someone or check out something interesting is going to be our biggest challenge when we take the test. She's young and still very easily distracted. But tonight I didn't have time to go for our extended walk at the lake, so I worked at home on heeling with attention with lots of turns and some 360's along with an automatic sit when I stop, and then a few rapid sits and downs and some fronts and finishes. 

Just for a lark I decided to try asking her to sit while we were heeling and then keep walking, to see what she would do. The first time or two she started to get up and I said "ah ah" and shifted my body towards her and she immediately went back into her sit. We practiced a few more times and she was PERFECT! I could tell her sit and then just keep walking and it worked!!! So then I tried it with down, and again, the first time she started to rise up slightly when I kept walking, and I did a verbal correction and leaned towards her slightly and she relaxed back into the down. In just a couple of minutes I had her doing both a sit and down in motion with almost no effort at all. She's a genius!









Now, can someone please tell me how to get her to not mug the tester, lol? In last night's class she was great with one of the friendly greeters, although she snuck in a couple of kisses to the face while the trainer was petting her ears. But the big problem was when the trainer got right in Halo's face to handle her paws and brush her. Halo leaped into her arms and showered her with puppy kisses. *embarrassed* She said "I knew as soon as I got down there it was a bad idea".







Ya think?


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## GSDTrain (Apr 21, 2008)

awesome!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Forget CGC, time for BH for this smart girl


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomShe's a genius!


aww, i agree!
way to go Halo... 
(this confuses the **** out of my dogs)


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Jason LinForget CGC, time for BH for this smart girl


That's what I was thinking...

Good Girl Halo!! That's awesome!!


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## Sean Rescue Mom (Jan 24, 2004)

Deb, sounds like you need a bumper sticker that says, "I have an honor roll student in CGC." Way to go, Halo!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Thanks guys! It's still by no means a sure thing that she'll pass the test, but I'm taking the class and going for the CGC certificate because it's going to specifically address the areas where we are weak. What she's good at she's VERY good at, but what she's not good at she's REALLY not good at!









In her Puppy 2 class we had a substitute trainer one week who we had never met before. As she was coming around the room watching us work with our puppies she said to me "That's a very smart puppy. You can do a lot with that puppy".







I think the only thing that will hold her back is her slow stupid human, LOL!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomNow, can someone please tell me how to get her to not mug the tester, lol? In last night's class she was great with one of the friendly greeters, although she snuck in a couple of kisses to the face while the trainer was petting her ears. But the big problem was when the trainer got right in Halo's face to handle her paws and brush her. Halo leaped into her arms and showered her with puppy kisses. *embarrassed* She said "I knew as soon as I got down there it was a bad idea".
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The great thing about the CGC is that you can talk to the dog the entire time. Just keep reminding her to SIT and give a verbal correction if she starts to get up.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

I think Deb needs to try dog sports with Halo! Sit and down in motion equals BH.


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## DSudd (Sep 22, 2006)

Deb - she is such a smart girl. I am sure when the time comes she will be ready for the test. She is not only beautiful but smart also.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Jason LinForget CGC, time for BH for this smart girl


Isn't the minimum age 12 months for the BH?


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

> Quote:
> Isn't the minimum age 12 months for the BH?


15 Months









Have to agree, looks like Halo could do a BH and pass easily! smart, SMART dog!!! 

Debbie, practice 20 minute long downs under distraction and off leash heeling, and you are all set!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: Castlemaid
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One step at a time, lol! She heels off leash at home very well, but I'm sure it would all fall apart out in the big wide world. I wish my yard were bigger so I could practice more outdoors. I work with her in the side yard dog run, but there's nothing very interesting out there to divert her attention - when we pass the grassy areas on our way into the park where we've been doing our training walks she still pulls pretty bad. She WANTS THAT GRASS!!!







Once we're out on path around the lake she's much better. She's very interested in the geese, although she isn't barking at them anymore like she used to, and there are a couple of parts of the walk where there's no shrubbery blocking her view of the lake below, and she pulls there too. She does not understand why she can't go swimming! And any time she's on leash around Keefer all she wants to do is jump on him.









I'm hoping she holds off going into heat a little longer because we'll have to take the test later if it happens in the next two weeks. She turned 8 months old on 7/9, so it could happen any time. We're taking the class at Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, a private adoption and education center that saves dogs and cats that are out of time at shelters. They are very pro speuter, and don't allow dogs in heat to participate in classes.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Sounds like she is doing GREAT for an 8 month old - really impressive with the sit out of motion!

Good luck with the CGC, can only wait and see if she'll be in heat or not. 

And you have LOTs of time to think about that BH


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

What a good sweetie!


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