...oh wait no, it's just Indie covered in mud, having been swimming in the pond again!We took the dogs to Bourne Woods today. It was beautiful and sunny but the wind could nearly knock you off your feet at times! Luckily it was much better once we got into the woods.
Indie has developed a love of swimming. She will actually swim out and retrieve a stick thrown into the water now, whilst Trent and Ash wait on the banks, ready to steal it! I don't like using sticks, but really wasn't going to try to teach her this with bought toys, that's wasting money I don't have! I think I'll invest in some kind of floating toy now she's retrieving reliably though!
After playing with the dogs in the ponds for a while, we decided to sit down on the benches before heading back, and Indie just threw herself back into the water! She is so keen to swim that she will even get into the water just in case you might throw something for her!
I signed up for the Crufts Video on Demand service last night, as I forgot it was being broadcast live online. Today I saw the Day 1 training with Mary Ray and was inspired to get my target stick out! I bought it ages ago, from Mary Ray's website, but I have not made much use of it.
I don't know why I didn't, because in the space of about 15 minutes I managed to ensure all my dogs have a healthy obsession with the thing! I put it over my shoulder at one point, just whilst I had a think for a minute, and Indie ended up doing a "high" behind my back, trying to touch it with her nose!
My main reason for wanting to use it is to teach them to trot. I have made some progress on the trot with Trent without a target stick, but it is INCREDIBLY difficult to see what your dogs front legs are doing when your dog is only the length of your arm away and to the side of you. The target stick is going to make this much, much easier.
Whilst watching the Mary Ray training earlier, I also noticed that she plugged her new click and treat target stick, which drops a treat from the ball on the end. I am definitely going to invest in one of these, as it stops the dog anticipating the treat coming from your hands.
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