Brick wall

Seeing as this blog was set up to record both the downs as well as the ups on Bran's training journey, it's only fair to post the latest update even though I'd really rather not.

After brilliant sessions on Tuesday (at clicker class), Wednesday (at home) and Thursday (at bronze class), I was expecting good things of Friday's home session.

I decided to start with the focussed heelwork as it was the newest thing. Bran sat beautifully close at heel, gave me a good few seconds of attention so I clicked and offered him the treat.

At which point he clamped my little finger between two of his canines after mistaking it for the treat. One canine hit the middle of my nail and the other hit directly underneath and it hurt! Instinctively, I shouted in pain. Bran hit the floor on his belly and crawled away looking like he was expecting to be beaten (which, of course, he never is but he does like to "do" tragic).

I took a deep breath and called him back and decided to try and do some of his better known exercises so opted just for 'down'. He refused to do them on the floor and went to the duvet in front of the washing machine that was waiting to be washed, the mat out in the hallway, the armchair, the dog bed, anywhere that wasn't right at my feet as I'd asked.

So I gave up on that and brought out his mat. Set him in a 'sit-stay' whilst I put the mat down, sent him to the mat and he crawled off to the armchair.

So I gave up. Full stop.

We had friends visiting for the weekend so I thought that a few days off might be enough for him to get over himself.

Before breakfast, I took Bran out to the kitchen for training and he was his usual waggy, smiley self and I was hoping for good things.

He refused to get into a close sit and kept sliding himself into a 'down' instead or would sit right out at an angle, despite my circling him round and trying to lure him back into position. It wasn't happening.

I put him into a 'sit-stay', placed his mat and commanded 'mat' and he trotted off down the hallway for a perfect 'down' on the mat. I gave him lots of happy, excited praise as I treated him, then called him back and commanded 'mat' again.

He went off to the armchair and refused to get out of it!

Arrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!

We have our last clicker class tomorrow night. Bran's supposed to be holding his 'touch' on my hand for longer and we've not got as far as doing any of it this week; he's meant to be targetting his ball in a different way and I've only had a very quick go at that with him last Wednesday and haven't been able to do anything since; he's meant to have 'bark' on hand signal only and offering multiple barks which has only happened briefly on Wednesday; he's meant to be able to do 2 paces of focussed heelwork when he won't even sit in the right position to start and if I do try to take a step he immediately breaks his attention!

Please keep your fingers crossed for a miracle to occur later today or tomorrow morning at the latest!!