Next I decided to go for a walk with him around our quarter mile trail. He did about the same as last time with him trying to herd me back around occasionally, not as much as the last time. This pictures shows where the trail is coming to a point of being denser and alot of whitetail deer hang out and Tygs always gets more nervous here. I ask him to back up and do circles while we're walking, so his mind is working. You can see Tygs' rear in this picture and he should be facing forward since that's the way we were going, but like I said he was trying to get me to go back.
As we're coming back to the house you can see there are a group of items, such as a pile of wood, tractor, snowmobiles that we have to go through. It's kind of narrow in places, but he does fine.
After our walk I again asked him to respond to yielding the rear and front. He's doing just fine with the rear and his front response was the best it's been yet, but after the walk he did get frustrated when I asked for the front and was pawing. I've noticed the last couple days that he needs to work on patience. He's has from the start wanted to rub on my hands or body at times and I've been discouraging it, but today it dawned on me that he's trying to push my hands away because he doesn't want to do something that I'm asking. He did it alot on our walk. And when he was frustrated with yielding the front today, besides the pawing he was trying to push me away, so that's something we need to work on. I also got one of those styrofoam noodles out, it's only a half, but I wanted to see what he would do and he did react at first by going around in circles, but after I told him to whoa and showed it to him again, he was fine with me rubbing it on him, as you can see.
And some day I'll figure out how to put pictures on here without using up so much space! Our weather is awesome here this weekend and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Then the weatherman says we're back to the deep freeze!
Janeen and Tygs in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Great job, Janeen & Tygs! Reese and Zig both paw when they are frustrated because they don't understand. But if you can be consistent enough and reward the SLIGHTEST try, he will grasp it and that frustration will go away. It will be one of those "aha!" moments! The front end is always the hardest to move over, I think. But if you use two hand one on the shoulder and one higher on the neck and and apply pressure (starting with just a touch, to increased pressure every 3 seconds) until you get even a slightest move, then release. Licking and chewing is a good sign they are thinking...and a soft eye expression. LOTS OF PRAISE! Don't forget. Curlies thrive on praise! =]
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the frustration and pawing. I am sure he will soon understand more of what you want and be less frustrated. Sounds like he is making progress. The picture with the noodle is so cute! Tygs also looks really tall here!
ReplyDeleteWhat a handsome devil! I think he is so handsome. I don't think your pictures take up too much space! Keep 'em coming! He has lovely thinking see-saw ears in these photos, especially the last one with the noodle. That expression is priceless, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Susan, keep the pictures coming! Linus sometimes paws too though not as much as he used to. He's at the point now where from doing things like Denise suggested I can tell him to "stand up" and he USUALLY gets the point.
ReplyDeleteThank you for compliments on Tygs. I think he's pretty handsome myself, but then again I'm prejudice!
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