Day 20 of Dog

I don't know whether today's training session represented a minor advance or a minor setback. I did learn one thing--before I take her out of the yard, I need to buy or improvise a harness.

First I tried to train while the other dogs were in the yard and that didn't work. They kept horning in, trying to get their share of the cheese.

So I put them inside and started over. I had to carry her off the steps--again--and then we started the routine. I'd take a step forward; show her the cheese at my left side; wait thirty seconds; lift her under the chest and carry-walk her forward; give her the cheese. After a couple of rounds she started to walk forward by herself, so I advanced to two and even three steps at a time.

Then I made the mistake of trying to teach two lessons at once. Instead of remaining at the half-crouch which puts my face near level with hers, I decided to stand up straight when I took the next steps. She panicked; twisted; darn near rolled and managed to get the collar over her head.

So we went back to the back steps and I tried to tighten the collar but I just couldn't make it any tighter and have her still able to breathe. She's got an awfully small head.

After that we repeated the lesson. I still had to carry her off the steps but she did the rest of the walking by herself.

I knew this was going to take a long time so I'm refusing to be discouraged. It's only the second session. Maybe tonight when I bring her in I'll start on the "come to me to get goodies" lesson.