After a week’s worth of hard work, it’s nice to have the weekends to relax and enjoy our time home together.
The girls have been going through a new training program (shout out at To The Rescue K9 Training) and are being exercised and challenged mentally during the work week. We’ll dive much deeper into their training in a future post.
We’re working on our manners (again), and re-learning who the boss is. After spending so much time working from home, their behavior has slipped and they think I’m part of their pack instead of the leader of it.
The cold weather has led us to less walks, and more time on the couch. (We love to cuddle…but know their exercise needs to be met.)
We’ve been learning that training them mentally can be just as exhausting [and rewarding] as taking them for a walk outside. Which has been a good balance on these cold, snowy days.
We’ve been practicing all of our new tricks and the polite way to behave while we’re home during the week…which provides them with enough mental stimulation to tire them out for a few hours. On the days where the weather gives us enough of a break, we head outside and continue to practice on our walks.
Lucky for them, the pond in front of our house froze enough this week, that we were able to play on it…It was time for their hard work to be rewarded.
When the ice freezes, it’s like a giant yard for them to play in. Most people aren’t crazy enough to go on it, so it gives us plenty of room to roam.
Part of our training is teaching us that what I say, goes. With them being loose, I need to know that they’ll respond to my commands if they wonder too far. Although the water is frozen enough to walk on, there are still some thin and open spots as you move further out. Knowing that they would listen and respond to me was a must.
Not only did they listen (for the most part) when I called, but they stayed with me the whole time. They generally don’t wonder, but I worry that they might go a little crazy with all of the room they have, or if they see something they can go after.
They surprised me, but they did fantastic.
We continued to practice our commands – sitting when they were told to and staying until they were told they didn’t have to anymore. The [seemingly] constant training I’m giving them, has not only brought their manners back, but reconfirmed to them who their leader is.
We still have a long way to go, but their behavior this weekend was encouraging to me and probably for them as well. Their confidence is building, and they’re starting to understand that the better they behave, the more love, attention and praise they’ll get.
This week is a little lesson for both of us.
Today’s [human] Lesson: practice, practice, practice. They can’t get better unless you show them how. The persistent training and tough love I’m giving them is not only making my life better, but it’s making theirs better as well.
Today’s [dog] Lesson : hard work pays off. The better they do, the more freedom they earn. They’re made to please us – it’s what makes them happy. It’s worth putting in the time so they can be the best versions of themselves and enjoy their lives to its full potential.
#blog-40
