Mummy's little star

Sooooooooooooooooo pleased with my boy this week!!

Tuesday night's clicker class went incredibly well and Bran didn't show me up once.

We had to show how they've progressed with targetting their item, which started well with Bran bouncing on the spot as soon as I pulled the ball out, bless. He was then moving away to bash it with his nose wherever I put it.

We then had to show how they've progressed with 'touch' and again this went really well. Bran is happy to 'touch' either hand in any position (unless it's my right hand in the 'down' signal!) and if I walk with my hand at my side and tell him to 'touch', he'll keep his nose pressed into my palm and walk beautifully at heel.

When it came to 'mat' time, he was just brilliant! He had built up the duration of holding his position on the mat to half an hour whilst we were at Mum's on Sunday night because he was hovering in the kitchen anyway as the meal was being prepared, so I put his mat down for him and worked on that. Although he had to remain on lead for the exercise in class, at home I can put him in a 'sit-wait' at the back door whilst I go and place the mat beside the front door - so the whole length of the house away - and then return to him, tell him 'mat' and he'll run to his mat and drop straight into a 'down'.

We then started to learn about how we could teach the dogs focussed heelwork by clicking them for being in a good, close sit at heel and getting any attention from them. We then built up the duration a little and then started to take a half pace whilst holding their attention. Bran performed brilliantly on this exercise when Jo was demonstrating with him but kept swinging his bottom out when I was working with him, so we're reinforcing the basics of positioning before progressing. We're supposed to have them able to do at least 2 paces with complete attention before next week.

Next up was demonstrating their "tricks". As per usual, Bran had to wind himself up a bit but then gave a few repeated impressive barks. By next week, he has to be able to consistently 'bark' to just a hand signal and offer repeated barks instead of just one. He's already built up to 3 consistently so that should be fine and dandy :o)

At "normal" class this morning, we again ran through each test for the bronze award, which Bran will definitely be taking on Sunday 9th October. Everything was a bit more structured this week and Bran was just an absolute dream!

We started with removing the collar and having their identification checked, which Bran sat calmly through.

We then had to loose lead walk up and back the length of the hall, with no treats if possible. Jo demonstrated with Bran and used the focussed heelwork signal that we introduced on Tuesday so Bran walked beautifully with her, then repeated it perfectly with me! I'm more confident that the 2 paces won't be a problem next Tuesday ;o)

Control at the door was next and Bran went straight into a 'sit-wait' and didn't move a muscle as I stepped through the door, then called him through and put him in a 'sit' whilst I shut the door behind us. Perfect!

The controlled walk was done out in the paddock and we had 3 cones set up so that each of us could stand at a cone with our dogs, then took it in turns to weave between the other dogs. Using the focussed heelwork hand signal again, Bran stuck to me like glue and never even glanced at the other dogs.

Stay for 1 minute was next and Bran did it like a pro! He went straight into a 'down-stay' and stayed put for the full minute with no breaking!

We then did the examination of the dog, which Bran is more than happy with and usually rolls onto his back so that EVERY part can be examined.....

Return to handler was just fab. I put him into a 'sit-stay' at one end of the hall, removed his lead, turned my back and walked to the far end of the hall, then recalled him to a 'sit' and he just bombed back to me!

We need to attend one class of Jo's Thursday night bronze award class before the test so that the dogs can all meet each other prior to examination day, but I am quietly confident right now :o)