#deeps training

(Tumblr is INCREDIBLY broken right now. I cannot publish asks if I have the option in Missing E checked to allow asks to have tags. I would disable it but the Missing E options aren't loading now. Sooooo screen shot post!)

Thundershirt is one of the sponsors of ClickerExpo so they actually had a booth in the store here. Most of the things at the store are priced RIDICULOUSLY low. The rep for Kong said that the prices were below what they even sell them to pet stores. I picked Kong toys up for Deeps that only cost me $3 and $4! The same size and color of Thundershirt on Amazon costs $45, and I paid $22. 

Okay I'm done raving about the prices. XD But basically at that price I became really curious if it would work, and we're in a pretty good situation to try it out.

We had issues with Deeps being upset in the car on the way down unless he was on one of our laps. Unfortunately for the drive back down Chris will be taking Deeps home alone. I'm following down a few days later. 

Also there's a one-warning policy here at the hotel when it comes to barking. Chris is here most of the time to keep a puppy quiet but when we go out for dinner and stuff he's left crated and our fingers are crossed. I thought the Thundershirt might help him be calm in the hotel room. :3

Okay so does it work? I'm saying a tentative yes right now. He was zooming around barking and sniffing before I put the Thundershirt on. Afterwards he went, picked up the trachea, and just hung out chewing on it and looking out the window (woooo hotel windows that reach to the floor!). Chris also says that after I left Deeps just went to sleep for hours.

Update along with cute puppy photo! This blog has been a bit neglected lately, but no worries. <3 I just started a new job, then got sick, so I'm recovering and getting settled in. There will be lots of new Deeps content and dog training business very soon.

In fact I'll be attending ClickerExpo in San Francisco next weekend! CickerExpo is a three-day long convention (really more like three days of classes) put on by Karen Pryor Clicker Training. So you'll get updates from that and more.

I'm more than a little bit disappointed that Deeps is still overly excited around people and dogs. I'm registered to attend with a dog but I think that Deeps would be more of a distraction for people than a polite attendee. I had to register for the convention before we even brought him home or lose out on a spot. He'll still be with us in the hotel but I probably won't take him into any classes. I've been working daily with him on being calmer around new people/children/dogs but I don't want to be disruptive in class. I do look forward to talking to other trainers about this problem.

One of the things that's been constantly frustrating is that we don't have a back yard, or any control over the people around us. This means that no matter what I say weeks of training can be set back by one off leash dog, one screaming child, or a dog owner that won't listen to me when I say, "No, you can't pet him, we're training." We don't have any people available to do reliable training with us so I'm working with what I have. :(

The past couple nights Deeps has decided that it's high time he stop sleeping properly and instead wake up every two hours to yell at the top of his puppy lungs. Nothing in our daily routine changed. He still gets about two hours of walking a day (broken up into ~15-30 minute chunks), training, toys, play time, etc. 

Last night was absurd. Because of the diarrhea that came along with his health issues a couple weeks ago I was pretty concerned to begin with. We took him out immediately, even though we had only been asleep for two hours. Every time we took him out he would pee a little and then either try to play or flop down and peer up at Chris (who usually takes Deeps out late at night).

I let him onto the bed to see if he just missed us (I made sure he was quiet for 10+ seconds first so I didn't reinforce the whining - waiting for this was MADDENING). But no! He immediately wanted to jump off and go play with socks.

He really just seemed like he was ready to get up and was upset we weren't all waking up to start our day at 4am. Meanwhile I was ready to start punching anyone that came near me when, for the second time, a bathroom trip just resulted in more whining once we put him back in the crate.

For two and a half months he's been virtually silent in his crate. He only started to whine once he really had to go to the bathroom. Now it's whining, barking, crying, yelping, and any other vocalizations that he think might get him out of the crate. 

So I'm going to follow the "a good dog is a tired dog" rule and try to wear him out before it's bed time. Unfortunately we go to bed between 1-3am so walking him near bed (beyond a quick potty trip) isn't fun for anyone involved. It's not freezing out here by any means but he doesn't appear to appreciate the cold and I'll be honest traipsing around the neighborhood at 1am doesn't sound like a great way to relax before bed.

So I just handed him the IQ treat ball. I've extended his exercise pen to its fullest size (so the ball won't roll under the couch or hit the water bowl) and he's chasing the ball around getting every last treat out. For treats I actually use Natural Balance food rolls, since I can cut them up into really small pieces appropriate for a toy puppy:

They're treats to him but they're actual food so I don't have to worry about giving him a little more than I would normally for just "treat" treats (as long as I make sure to compensate by not giving his as much of his own raw food).

Aaaaand now he's finished the treat ball and he's happily chewing on a trachea. Yesssss. Tire yourself out, dog. If this doesn't work then tomorrow will also include a session of tug before the treat ball.

One paw has been CLIPPED! I used the clicker and spent some time on handling before I started cliping. When I wasn't able to use the clicker I used my replacement marker "yep!" Every nail that got clipped got a "yep!" and a treat. Played with his paws a lot. Click and treat. Etc.

Getting Deeps used to new sights, sounds, smells, and people is so very important to his growth at this stage. We ended up in the house from dawn until dusk (minus potty breaks and walks) and decided to venture out into the world in order to give Deeps the amazing experience of Chipotle. Mmmmm... guacamole.  

I've begun meeting the people around us who also have dogs. We're in a very suburban neighborhood and I'm pretty sure it's a requirement that you get a dog within your first year of living here. EVERYONE has a dog. This has been fantastic for Deeps for a few reasons: 1) wooooo dogs to meet! 2) woooooo people who like dogs to meet! and 3) all of these neighborhood dogs are also meeting all of the OTHER neighborhood dogs so thus far they've been pretty polite greeters.

Deeps is still mastering doggy body language but he immediately wants to play with every single new dog he meets. Today he greeted a very polite mix roughly the size of a rottweiler (the largest dog he's ever seen!) and just wanted to play play play play with his massive new friend.