I love this school.

what I have loved the most about this experience so far is the sheer amount of fun I'm having. I'm eating this information up, reveling in being side by side with Cade all day, laughing at all the personalities of a center full of dogs at work and play. It's a bit of heaven on earth for Mark and I. at times I think I shouldn't being having this much fun... but then I realize that's possibly the dumbest think I've ever thought. 

#obviously

we have talked and worked quite a bit with the notion of breaking any task down into small, incremental bits. this helps the young pups learn what we want without being overwhelmed. we've set them up to succeed every step of the way-- something that is so crucial. 

the beauty of this way of teaching is that when things start to disintegrate (say, during the transfer of Cade from Kim to me...), we can break the task down. 

take Cader as far back on the learning process as he needs to go to be able to "remember" the task... or take me back there, have me learn exactly what the criteria have been all the way through so I know what to look for in the finished "product" of a task.

if that makes little to no sense to you... just let me know in the comments. I'll be happy to clarify. by which, of course, I mean I'll have Kim swoop in here and answer for me :)

now for the fun.

for the part I always jump to in blogs...

the pictures. 

here's Lauren. she's fantastical. 

clearly she's listening to me make some phenomenally intricate insight into the world of dog training.

or not.

I'm more likely asking the same question I did earlier, just phrased slightly differently to mislead her into thinking I really do have some memory retention. 

(and there's poor Dillion, sick with Gingeritis. sing it to me, Dill. I hear you barking.)

yep. see my hand going up? I'm very insightful. 

(dog trainers are a very patient bunch.)

here's Cade knocking out the cue "your mat" like it's his job.

which it is.

which is great.

because he knocks it out.

I'm holding my hand behind my back because (slightly more than) occasionally I can't keep my hand out of the treat bag. 

and when your hand is in the treat bag, your dog is thinking about nothing else. 

which frankly, I can totes relate to. more than most, I dare say. 

learning "back."

the "back" cue is a nice one to know when you're in an aisle of Red Walmart (otherwise known as Target, for those of you without children named Joshua who will immediately yell "Target? Can I come? Can I get a treat?") and you missed what you were going for by a couple of feet. rather than having to do a spin turn that can make a girl like me a little wonky, Cade and I can just back up right next to each other. we practiced next to those white gates so the pups knew we wanted them right by our sides. although, you're all correct in thinking it (and you know you are) who would leave that redhead's side?

Ginger-Freaking-Itis.

poor Dillon. I'm paying for therapy when we leave. I know what I'm like without him...

______________________________

so today's our rest day. if you're on Facebook or Instagram, you'll have seen that my two gentlemen here have been in a sleep competition that would put just about everyone to shame. it warms my heart. but not my stomach.

someone needs to get this girl a treat bag.

love and clicks and treats,

k