When I walked to training today, I didn't think Flash would do much. He was intimidated by the traffic and a few very loud guys didn't help either. But in the hall, I gave him some ttouch and he soon calmed down and stopped panting.
He then worked beautifully. His heelwork was very attentive, recall was fine and even the retrieve is coming along nicely! Well done, Flashy boy!
24 May 2007
21 May 2007
1st ever obedience show
Flash, Dylan and I went to Culverstone yesterday, together with Karen and Willis. It was my first obedience show in about 18 months, and it was certainly Flash's first ever show! He actually coped better than I thought he would. He was very distracted in the ring, but I did everything on lead, so he couldn't take off for one of his mad runs.
I was quite happy with his heelwork the second time round... Though I have to take the blame for the first round being rubbish as my left hand was for some reason all over the place, so Flash didn't have a chance.
I didn't do any stays with him, as I wouldn't trust him yet (if ever... we shall see!).
I will continue attending shows with him this year, but it will always be training, not working. He is not ready for that yet!
I have decided though to go back to using my training plans as they were very helpful and we made a lot of progress when I was using them.
I am also still struggling in the training class as clicker training is so difficult if the other members don't actually understand how it works exactely... It is difficult to stick to my own way without offending the trainer on the day. Also the fact that there is no permanent instructor makes it difficult too as the progress is difficult to track and the training is less consistent. I think from that point of view, I also need to stick to my training plans again as that'll keep me on track regardless of what happens in the training class.
I was quite happy with his heelwork the second time round... Though I have to take the blame for the first round being rubbish as my left hand was for some reason all over the place, so Flash didn't have a chance.
I didn't do any stays with him, as I wouldn't trust him yet (if ever... we shall see!).
I will continue attending shows with him this year, but it will always be training, not working. He is not ready for that yet!
I have decided though to go back to using my training plans as they were very helpful and we made a lot of progress when I was using them.
I am also still struggling in the training class as clicker training is so difficult if the other members don't actually understand how it works exactely... It is difficult to stick to my own way without offending the trainer on the day. Also the fact that there is no permanent instructor makes it difficult too as the progress is difficult to track and the training is less consistent. I think from that point of view, I also need to stick to my training plans again as that'll keep me on track regardless of what happens in the training class.
14 May 2007
Raining... and park allergy
I am now positive that the allergy that Flash gets from the park is linked with rain/water. Flash has been absolutely find for many weeks whilst the weather has been dry... But he has now started with the allergies again since the rain started in the last week. Almost every day he is now on antihistamines again... argh....
He is not stressed indoors though, we have not had any messing indoors for about three weeks. So I am hoping with controlling his diet, we can also keep the other allergies sort of under control. I think that he is at his worst when he gets the park allergies and also gets hold of animal protein at the same time... and if he is stressed out with other things, then that is it!
But for now, we are doing ok... tablets are working and he remains very manageable and even quite responsive on our walks. He is mote bity with Dylan again though...
He is not stressed indoors though, we have not had any messing indoors for about three weeks. So I am hoping with controlling his diet, we can also keep the other allergies sort of under control. I think that he is at his worst when he gets the park allergies and also gets hold of animal protein at the same time... and if he is stressed out with other things, then that is it!
But for now, we are doing ok... tablets are working and he remains very manageable and even quite responsive on our walks. He is mote bity with Dylan again though...
10 May 2007
A lovely walk today
Got up at 6.30 am as usual and took Dylan and Flash for a walk. It was great. Flash very very slightly nervy (I think more because I told him off the other day than anything else), but nothing much to worry about. He was responsive, recall almost 100%, regularly checking on me and coming back to me (that was still the effect from me hiding a couple of times during last night's walk) and he was happy! And so was I... No allergic reaction after the walk... perhaps because it was dry in the park?
Vera
Vera
9 May 2007
Yep, allergy trouble again...
Flash is definitely strange again. He was less responsive on the walk today - though he improved drastically after I hid in some high plants and they thought they had lost me...
He was also pulling like mad on the way to the park, much more than normal... he is just not very responsive in these situations...
But when we got home, Flash went straight upstairs on his bed rather than hang around downstairs, though later he came downstairs again!
Poor sausage... I wish so much I knew what it was!
He was also pulling like mad on the way to the park, much more than normal... he is just not very responsive in these situations...
But when we got home, Flash went straight upstairs on his bed rather than hang around downstairs, though later he came downstairs again!
Poor sausage... I wish so much I knew what it was!
8 May 2007
Allergy's back
After not having had any allergic reactions for about 8 weeks, I had to give Flash antihistamines twice over the week-end after a country park walk. He had the itchy feet symptoms... Not sure why, though I think it might be the fact that it was raining a little recently...
Flash had been absolutely brilliant over the last week... On Wednesday, 2nd May, we got a phone call that Cornel's brother Wayne died unexpectedly. This meant that the atmoshphere was different in the house and we went out at odd times for longer periods of time (up to six hours). I expected Flash to be really unsettled, but he was absolutely brilliant. No messing indoors, seemed really settled, no problems. His obedience on walks was spot on, no problem at all!
He had started doing his mad runs at the end of the walks again though in the last few days, though he was responsive and came straight back when he was done at the end of the walk. However, yesterday, he didn't and it took a few calls from me to get him back. And maybe it was no coincidence that I also ended up telling him off early in the same walk yesterday... I walked through the first field with Dylan and Flash. I let Dylan off to do his business further into the field, then called Dylan back. Dylan came back at 100 mph, beautiful recall... Only Flash went mad at the end of the lead as Dylan approached and started lunging and snapping at him... It was then that I grabed him by the harness and shouted at him to stop it! This nipping is not just a nuissance as it makes Dylan hesitate to come back to me, but it is also dangerous as this is how Dylan gets injured as Flash doesn't seem to inhibit his bite very well in these frenzied situations... (it happened once before).
It seems that the itchy paws after walks, the mad runs where he becomes unresponsive and his poor self-control when Dylan runs seem to all be part of the same problem...
I will be watching him very closely. He was fine with Dylan after the incident and didn't nip him anymore. I hope he comes out of this phase quickly again!
Flash had been absolutely brilliant over the last week... On Wednesday, 2nd May, we got a phone call that Cornel's brother Wayne died unexpectedly. This meant that the atmoshphere was different in the house and we went out at odd times for longer periods of time (up to six hours). I expected Flash to be really unsettled, but he was absolutely brilliant. No messing indoors, seemed really settled, no problems. His obedience on walks was spot on, no problem at all!
He had started doing his mad runs at the end of the walks again though in the last few days, though he was responsive and came straight back when he was done at the end of the walk. However, yesterday, he didn't and it took a few calls from me to get him back. And maybe it was no coincidence that I also ended up telling him off early in the same walk yesterday... I walked through the first field with Dylan and Flash. I let Dylan off to do his business further into the field, then called Dylan back. Dylan came back at 100 mph, beautiful recall... Only Flash went mad at the end of the lead as Dylan approached and started lunging and snapping at him... It was then that I grabed him by the harness and shouted at him to stop it! This nipping is not just a nuissance as it makes Dylan hesitate to come back to me, but it is also dangerous as this is how Dylan gets injured as Flash doesn't seem to inhibit his bite very well in these frenzied situations... (it happened once before).
It seems that the itchy paws after walks, the mad runs where he becomes unresponsive and his poor self-control when Dylan runs seem to all be part of the same problem...
I will be watching him very closely. He was fine with Dylan after the incident and didn't nip him anymore. I hope he comes out of this phase quickly again!
1 May 2007
Settled and grown up?
Flash seems quite settled at the moment. He is happy, loves his walks and runs and is very obedient and responsive. He seems to have made another step forward at the week-end, I wonder whether the Jade guardian angel I bought him and put on his house collar is helping... he just seems often cheerful now, rather than "just" not unhappy...
Jade has the following characteristics which all apply to Flash very much:
This gem stone is the ultimate symbol of calm and serenity. It helps bring serenity to the mind by releasing negative thoughts. A stone of balance and healing, it alleviates anxiety and fear based emotions.
I was also thinking just today that Flash seems to finally have grown up... I wonder whether "being big brother" to Jesse made a difference? Or whether it's just because he is feeling happier and healthier? Whatever it is, Flash is great at the moment and I hope it stays this way. (We have not had to use any antihystamines for quite a few weeks either with one exception!).
Jade has the following characteristics which all apply to Flash very much:
This gem stone is the ultimate symbol of calm and serenity. It helps bring serenity to the mind by releasing negative thoughts. A stone of balance and healing, it alleviates anxiety and fear based emotions.
I was also thinking just today that Flash seems to finally have grown up... I wonder whether "being big brother" to Jesse made a difference? Or whether it's just because he is feeling happier and healthier? Whatever it is, Flash is great at the moment and I hope it stays this way. (We have not had to use any antihystamines for quite a few weeks either with one exception!).
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