Category: Getting Started ¤
  Author: Victoria Farrington ¤
   Title: A Dog's Tolerance Level ¤

We're currently fostering a Kerry Blue terrier with ??? training.  I
started by taking him to parks, ignoring all the advice about not training
in distracting areas.  He so much as looked in my direction and I'd click,
give him a slice of roast beef and then we'd romp around for about 20 mins.
 Then we'd do another behavior, c/t, explore and when he was panting and
satisfied, we'd go home. I did this every day for a week.  About 30 seconds
training, an hour of exploring.
        He caught on faster than any dog I'd ever trained.  Today I took
him to an evening class I teach.  (nothing to do with dogs)  New places,
lots of smells, even skunk scent.  He was out of the truck for about 5
seconds when he turned to me.  I was talking to a student.  WOOF, WOOF.
Hey, look at me.  I had him sit, then down, then stand, then spin, then I
clicked and we went for a walk.  He walked on a loose leash, he kept
turning to catch my eye and he did more behaviors tonight than he's ever
done before, earned himself some nice treats AND go to look around in the
dark bushes that smelled of skunk.  (But not look too hard...)
        All those very very short sessions that occasionally seemed like a
waste of good time actually sped things up.  Quit when you're way way ahead
of the dog's tolerance level and it seems to grow like a weed...
        Victoria Farrington

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