He started his life in a puppy farm and was advertised in the free ads as the owner of the farm was going on holiday and his sitter couldn't care for a puppy. Fortunately, a supporter of Trallwm Farm Sanctuary spotted the ad and secured Bran and his companion a space with Lizzies Barn. When he was collected, he was found sitting in a large empty crate all alone in a large empty barn.
Despite the rather shaky start which could have traumatised many a dog, Bran's fabulous temperament and personality quickly endeared him to our family (myself and my children - Jacob (now 15) and Sophie (now 13). At the time of his arrival, we also had a gorgeous American Bulldog girl, Flora. She was just over 2 when Bran landed in our lives.
This was our family's first experience of life with a puppy as our other dogs had been adopted as older pups or adults and we vowed to give Bran everything he needed to become a well-rounded canine member of society.
We quickly came up against the now common bias of "you'll never train a chocolate labrador - they're all as mad as a box of frogs!" but Bran was a dream puppy - nothing like the horror I'd been expecting! He followed Flora's well trained example and, despite a few of the typical mischiefs you'd expect from a puppy, he quickly learned his basic commands.
When Bran hit 6 months, I decided to try clicker training with him for the first time. It didn't go well. He would sit and grin at me with his tongue lolling out of his mouth - offering no behaviours at all - until I gave in and asked him to "sit" or "down" so that I could reward him and end the session on a positive note. After 2 days of repeating this, I put the clicker away.
Just before Bran hit 12 months, Sophie took on a permanent foster in the shape of a 4 month old jack russell with chronic heart problems called Hugo. Watching the chaos that followed Hugo wherever he went made me realise how much steadier Bran had become. So I tried the clicker training again. I was transported back 6 months as he sat, grinned and lolled until asked to do something he knew and the clicker was put away. I started to wonder if he was "all there" ;o)
As Bran turned 18 months, we still had Hugo and also had a visitor in the shape of Fionna's (from Lizzies Barn) chocolate labrador pup, Orca, staying with us for a few months. Again, I was amazed at how his behaviours showed how brilliantly Bran was doing, so I tried the clicker again. This time, I got an offered "sit" then a gaze off into the distance with occasional eye flicking to check whether I had noticed that he was unhappy. The clicker went away again.
As Bran turned 2 years of age, Hugo had very sadly passed away, Flora had had a total hip replacement, we had discovered that Bran has severe bi-lateral elbow dysplasia and is expected to develop bi-lateral hip dysplasia, but my "crazy" chocolate boy was even steadier. I blew the dust off the clicker and headed out to the garden. Bran sat and again gazed off into the distance, but this time his ears were also down and he didn't look happy. The session was cut short and the clicker put away. Somehow, I didn't see the pattern developing!!
As Bran turned 3, we had lost Flora just a few months before and also had 2 x 6 month old yorkshire terrier x chihuahua pups causing mayhem. Bran was rather lost without Flora who had been his "mum", his "sister", his "playmate" and his "comfort" and underwent a big personality change. He craved attention more and spent more time with me. However, I also noted some rather clever moves that I didn't think him capable of. One such move was identified whilst walking in the meadow where the grass had grown too long for him to sight or hear his beloved ball landing, so he switched his nose on and sniffed it out! The first time I saw him do it, I was gobsmacked! Also, it flicked a little light on in my head as I realised that I had been grossly underestimating my choccie boy.
We started attending training classes, with Go Fetch It, with Sophie and Moss for company, and Bran thoroughly enjoyed himself. There is no pressure for him to perform, but perform he does as he is rarely asked to do anything that he doesn't already know well. We should be starting to train to prepare for the Kennel Club Bronze Award when classes start back in September :o)
I was inspired by how well he was doing and also by several friends who have done/are doing various doggy activities and training.
And so, on Sunday 24th July, I blew the dust off of the trusty old clicker once again.
It was actually physically painful to watch Bran hang his head, his ears, his tail and follow me slowly out to the garden where he sat, refused - then blatantly avoided - any physical or eye contact and waited until I asked him to do something that he knew :o(
I was disappointed, frustrated and rather sad and worried as I ranted on Facebook about why clicker training with him was so mind numbingly difficult. A few friends replied to say that their dogs were the same and maybe it was just how he was and I'd have to find another way, but my lovely friend Morag was watching and waiting......
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