AA> Those are excellent things you are doing.  
Why thank you August! :)
 AA> I've done the "take away the food" with all my dogs and it seems 
 AA> to create a more patient and respectful animal.  
Not with Ben!  He just wants that food back, and *fast*! :)  He does love his 
food.
 AA> I'm still working on getting Monster to not accept food from 
 AA> strangers or anything he may find lying around interesting enough 
 AA> to eat.  He's getting the idea that he needs to wait for the magic 
 AA> "release" word before he's allowed to gobble up.
When bringing Ben back from the Vet today (we walk, as it's only a few blocks 
away), he picked up a twig.  I gave him a snap with the colar, told him to 
"Drop It" and he did!  I've been working on this command when we go to the 
park and he fetches sticks for me.  Seems to be sinking in. :)
 AA> I sort of stumbled on that multi-time technique.  He just didn't
 AA> seem to be listening when I wanted him to COME so I started giving
 AA> him a 3-strikes-you're-out-approach.  The 3rd time was supposed to
 AA> mean that I was dang serious and that I was going to go after him
 AA> and punish him with a HEAL all the way home.  
Sounds like the technique I've develloped with the kids!   I give them a 
bit more leaway when counting, I count up to five, but I will not repeat 
something more than three times.  If they do not listen after three times, 
it's into the corner for them!  And they *still* have to do what I asked them 
to when they come out. :)
 AA> Then I got the idea of just firing off the command 3 times and 
 AA> ..boom.. instant reaction!  He still seems to test me with a 
 AA> delay, but he seems to be getting better now that I reward him 
 AA> with a massage and friendly conversation when he comes to me.   
 
That's good.  I always praise Ben when he does something right.  And when 
teaching him something new, I quite when he has done the excercise properly, 
to leave him with a sense of accomplishment.  I've just started this 
technique, so I'm not too sure of the results yet.
 AA> But he's still very bad when there are distractions like moving 
 AA> vehicles and darting cats around him.  Surprisingly, (and 
 AA> thankfully) he doesn't give a care to the chickens which often 
 AA> come right up to him.
I wish Ben would be as nonchalant about the cats!  Even with doing a 
shakedown on him, he *still* tries to run after them!  This is the main 
reason I don't want him loose in the house when I'm not around, or even if 
I'm down here, I won't let him go upstairs by himself.  I can't trust him not 
to terrify one of the cats.
 CL> You keep promising to send pictures, but I never get them! ;)  I can't
 CL> wait to meet Monster..
 AA> Ok ok..  I'll see if I can fire off something to you this week. 
Either that, or I will get to meet him soon. :)
 CL> ..I've made a deal with my folks about their car, since they just 
 CL> bought a new van, and I will probably be able to come visit soon.
 AA> Sounds great.  It is best to wait till after the black-fly season
 AA> though.    
There aren't any blackflies out *yet* are there?!?  I was thinking of 
visiting sometime in the next couple of weeks, if you don't mind, that is.
Chris
eb011@freenet.carleton.ca
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