Training to Date!

This is what I have done so far and a quick update to get caught up on this blog.

Tuvuk’s Training Journal

11/30 – 12/05/10

I have been working with him on just getting used to the house and me.  We have worked on basic house manners and some fun hup-hups in the hallway.  He loves to retrieve and shows lots of drive.  It’s nice to have a puppy again.

12/08/10

Worked Tuvuk on the introduction to a bumper.  We played with fun bumpers for about 4-5 retrieves.  Once done I worked obedience for the sit command for about 5 minutes.  Made 2-3 more fun bumper retrieves and finished the session. 

12/09/10

Worked again the same things as the previous day.  Tuvuk is holding the bumpers well on the return and bringing the bumpers back to me well.  He started showing signs of knowing the whistle command for sit.

12/11/10

Worked again the same principals as the previous days nothing new just worked on getting better with sitting on command.

12/12- 12/17

Kept working the same principles with a little more emphasis on the sit command.  He is progressing well and is full of desire at this point to retrieve. 

12/18/10

Went out with Chris Miller and Copper to work both dogs.  We first worked Copper on fun bumpers and then focused on her first marking drill.  I went out about 50-60 yards and threw single marks with no gun.  She did this very well and had no problems with the retrieves.  She did not mind the gunner and retrieved about 6 single marks.  We then worked Tuvuk on fun bumpers from the start.  We made about 2-3 fun bumpers and then worked Tuvuk on his first mark.  Chris went out about 30 yards and we threw 3 single marks.  Tuvuk did very well with this and retrieved all three.  I then took him on about a 5-minute obedience walk working sit and sit/stay.  He did this well and I was able to get about 5ft. from him with sit/stay.  We then got copper back out and I stood at the pitchers mound we did a memory mark and I threw 2 bumpers one at first and one at 3^rd she retrieved the 3rd base mark first and then went to get the 2nd memory mark.  She was successful remembering the memory mark.  We only did this once and it was a successful retrieve. 

12/19/10

Took Tuvuk on a walk tonight down the street.  We worked on socializing with all the distractions that can take place on a road.  We also focused on heeling and sitting on a whistle.  He did well for about 10 minutes and then started losing concentration.  We ended the walk with a few fun hup-hups.

12/20/10

I took Tuvuk and Kiera out behind the Rec center to work some obedience and a few fetches.  The temperature was about 5 degrees so we could not work too long.  I started Tuvuk with about 3 hup-hups and then we worked about 5 fetches with some steadiness.  He did really well and has learned the release command by his name.  We are definitely not working the steady too much right now due to wanting to maintain his drive.  This was the first day he did not want to bring the Avery Training Bumper (ATB) back to me.  Today was also the first day of using the 30’ check cord, which helped a lot with this small problem.  He has tons of drive and we ended on about 3 hup-hups.  Worked him about 10-12 minutes.