Food Test

Since Monte failed the real world test on Saturday, we have been practicing the Puppy's Choice game with human food. He has either learned a lesson or is smart enough to figure out when we are testing him. This evening he backed away from the "sandwich". Since dog's have difficulty generalizing, we only have to test him with two thousand other possible food items and he will be ready.

We started intermediate class at The Dog Den on Tuesday. My plan was to bring a sandwich to practice LEAVE IT, but forgot it at home so we used a stuffed toy. He did better than the last class, but this was a more controlled setting. He seems to be able to smell a set up.

The intermediate class focuses on proofing your commands and provides individual attention; there was one instructor for every dog. We think our dog knows a command, but will he SIT when you are seated, standing behind him, or across the room. I like to really test Monte by asking him to SIT when already seated. The dogs get into a routine of SIT, DOWN, SIT, DOWN, SIT. I test his focus with a SIT, DOWN, SIT, SIT. He will usually flinch a bit before repositioning in a proper SIT.

We also took the opportunity to teach a new trick. Guide dogs do not generally use hand signals, but the others were practicing so I decided to have some fun and teach something new. Monte picked up the hand signals for DOWN and SIT almost immediately - a good reader of body language.