Training Treacle (6)

This is probably the last in the series of 'Training Treacle' posts, but that's not to say you can ever finish training a dog. Treacle has just celebrated (with a Mr Whippy ice cream) her second birthday and is now having to put her mind to more serious things.

James, our first Grandson (pictured with his Dad, Steve) arrived last December and Treacle has been an absolute star with him, ensuring that he never feels lonely. She brings James her toys but never tries to take his. They are inseparable.

Treacle enjoys her walks with the family and James sits fascinated in his Bugaboo (other pushchairs are available) watching her race around the large tracts of Army training ground that surround the area. Once James is walking there'll be no stopping the two of them.

Last week we took both James and Treacle to the Wellington Country Park, part of the Duke of Wellington's estate for a day out. Although she thoroughly enjoyed rushing around hither and thither the best bit as far as she was concerned was the picnic lunch when she was able to sit at James' feet and help out with anything he dropped. Her least favourite bit was not being allowed on the miniature steam railway when we took James for a ride but having to stay with Caroline my daughter (and James' mum) instead. I have to say that James didn't appear over excited by the experience. By the end of the day I don't know how James and Treacle felt but I was out on my feet.

Treacle will continue to be trained in tracking and searching as well as ensuring that her obedience stays at a good standard. If you are going to have either a child or a dog (or both) it is important to remember that you share this planet with the rest of us and therefore have a duty of care not to impose yourself or offspring on other people trying to just live their lives. If you can't control your children or pets then you shouldn't have any.

It is so important for children to have pets it teaches them so many things about life and as long as the parents are responsible in managing the interaction between child and pet it makes the child a more complete person.

Treacle Goes To Tea

Last weekend my wife Rosemary and I, along with daughter Caroline and son-in-law Steve went to visit my eldest son Brian and girlfriend Nikki. As Nikki has a houseful of dogs Treacle was invited too. It was a wet day ideal to introduce the 'yoblet' to a Labrador of mature years, a Collie cross, a Westie with a trimmed body and 'Rasta' haircut and a couple of extra guests, a Jack Russell and her puppy. It was a great if rather damp day. Treacle thoroughly enjoyed herself, she got grumbled at by the Lab because she was impolite and was put in her place. She played with them all but bonded really well with the Collie. At the end of the day she had a few lessons in dog etiquette and had made some new friends. She went home worn out and straight into snoring mode.

She has also made a new friend at home. She has started 'hanging out' in the back garden with the cat from next door. If she is not in the garden he has taken to putting his head through the dog flap to ask if Treacle can come out to play. I think I'm going to have to persuade Steve and Caroline to change her name from Treacle to Spike. We can then sit her in front of the TV and show her Tom and Jerry videos until she gets the right idea. Either that or buy her a kaftan and enrol her in a yoga class.

Training Treacle (5)

Firstly, I'd better point out this isn't Robin so don't expect the usual wit. This is the son-in-law and its time I stepped out from behind the scenes to give a little Treacle Training update, and of course an updated photo.

Caroline and I have been delighted with Treacle's progress. She is always happy and tends to pick things up really easily. I've never owned a dog before, but obviously Caroline has always lived with dogs and I've been amazed at the way she has been able to teach Treacle commands like 'Down' and 'Speak' while I've been out.

A few weeks ago both Caroline and I had both been starting to dread Treacles' walks. While she was generally well behaved, the sight of another dog or person soon meant we had no control. She was gone. Even if we saw the distraction first, by calling Treacle back we gave her the clue to look around to locate the fun and again, bye-bye Treacle. The only way to retrieve our Retriever was to chase her down and re-apply the lead.

Luckily we know an expert and it didn't take long to get the re-training sorted out with an extra walk one Sunday afternoon. Of course, it wasn't Treacle that needed re-training - it was us. We had been letting Treacle 'run' the walk - almost to the point of letting her choose the route. We threw things for her to chase when she wanted and it was all a big game with Treacle at the center. She knew the 'Come' command but would only execute it after being sure there wasn't anything better to do. What we needed as a change in the power whilst on the walk, and we got a few hints and tricks that now seem obvious, but which I certainly would never have discovered on my own.

The most valuable lesson was with simply using the problem 'Come' command to our advantage. Treacle had now associated it with 'There's something else fun to do around here somewhere'. What we had to do was make the come command worthwhile for Treacle. So now we often call her back during the walk when there is no actual need to. When we comes she might get to fetch a toy, a fuss, a treat, or a game of find something that has been hidden behind a tree. She now comes back without thinking about it. She's not perfect, if she gets a chance she'll generally go to play with another dog (without asking for permission) but we know that she'll return to us when we ask.

Training Treacle (4)

Treacle is now free to enter to big wide world, all her vaccinations have taken and now she can mix with the big boys. She really enjoyed her first proper walks as she has boundless energy and was getting bored being restricted to her house and garden. We are very lucky with our location as we have a huge choice of dog walking areas nearby, army training ground, nature reserves, Forestry commission and the Basingstoke Canal (that doesn't go to Basingstoke). It is very important at this early stage to get the balance right so that a puppy gets enough exercise to build muscle and stamina without being exhausted. The more experiences that they can be exposed to the better. Treacle accepts Steve and Caroline as the Alpha pair in her pack and so as they act as calm, consistent and convincing leaders, in times of perceived danger, which could be any new experience that Treacle encounters, if the leaders are not concerned then neither will Treacle be.

Her new experiences this week have been many. She has had walks through army training areas which she thoroughly enjoyed as it has a variety of terrains. Treacle has been able to hide in long grass, bounce through the heather and dig in the sand. We knew that she was truly a Labrador when she discovered the joy of a muddy puddle! At one point when the gang had stopped to play I went on ahead and hid several yards off of the path and stayed silent. When the walk resumed and Treacle approached my location she indicated my presence with no prompting from the humans in the group at all. The nose works.


Amongst her other new experiences Treacle had a trip to the pedestrian precinct doing a bit of window shopping. Again all experiences can be capitalised on. She encountered crowds, babies in pushchairs, older children and of course traffic going there and back. She also attended a barbecue at her house and although she behaved very well amongst the guests she didn't bring a bottle.

Her training can really start now but will proceed at her pace so that there is no stress. Most elements of training can be gently introduced at this stage with the exception of agility as a puppies bones are still soft.

Training Treacle (3)

Treacle went to the Vet last Tuesday to have her final injections and to be micro-chipped. She won't be able to go everywhere until two weeks after the jabs, but she can now mix with dogs that are known to be up to date with their innoculations. So yesterday she came visiting to meet my German Shepherds. She was a bit overawed by my younger dog Jack but in my old chap Gaspode she found an indulgent senior role model who, she quickly learned she could mug without fear of reprisals. She also helped in the garden by finding our stock of flowerpots and distributed them liberally around the garden so that wherever we might be working, if we need a flowerpot we have only to reach out and one will be to hand (bless her).

It is always fascinating to see how quickly puppies grow and pick up new behaviours either good or bad which is why it is so important in these early days to build on the good behaviour and stop the bad. Because Caroline and Steve are using the Amichien Bonding method to raise Treacle and have done so from day one she is a totally relaxed puppy and is making great progress. I was playing a little game in the garden with her (all training is play based) and was really impressed with her searching, she is a natural. This is not to say that she is perfect. Is she ever naughty? Of course, she's a puppy. Has she got a lot to learn? Oh yes. The important thing is that she will be guided along the route to maturity (assuming that a Labrador does ever grow-up) by owners who are in agreement with one another and realise that a dog only knows how to be a dog, she is not a character from a Disney film. Dogs are easy, at this stage they are a clean slate on which you can write anything you like. It's only people that make it complicated.

The next steps are, more socialisation with my dogs as they are part of an extended pack and it is important that they can interact so that we can dog-sit for one another. And then from Tuesday week we can start extending Treacle with some very basic games that involve nose-work which, I'm sure will confirm the natural aptitude she has already displayed.
As always if you want to know more about my methods, visit my web-site www.robinglover.com

Training Treacle (2)

Well, she's arrived. I drove Steve and Caroline down to Sussex on the 5th August to collect young Treacle. I didn't need to attend but it allowed me to be nosy and it meant that both Steve and Caroline could concentrate on bonding with Treacle on the way home.

She is a very confident little dog and was not put out at all by her first car journey. When she arrived at her new home she soon checked everything out and settled in. She found her indoor kennel (usually called a crate), and wandered in without any prompting. Treacle of course is still a baby so spends her time either sleeping or running around like a thing possessed. Although her training has not started in earnest she is already responding to her name, coming when recalled and sitting on command. She has also started doing a nice basic retrieve. She wants to please and has a lot of potential, I have very high hopes for her.

Treacle's next milestone is 16th August when she has her second lot of jabs and is then allowed out in the wide world and her education really begins. All of her training will be stress free and play driven. She will learn her place in the human pack by using the system of Amichien Bonding which will mean Happy dog/Happy owners.

Training Treacle (1)

My Daughter and Son in Law are picking up their Chocolate Labrador puppy on 5th August 2005. She was born on 7th June 2005. She is going to be raised using the method of Amichien Bonding and I intend to record her progress here.

Treacle will be leaving the litter at 8 weeks and moving from Sussex to Hampshire. Steve and Caroline have been hard at work preparing for the new arrival, there are many decisions to make,where is she going to sleep? Where,when and what is she going to eat? What areas will be 'no go' areas for her? The list is endless but the time put in now will pay dividends when Treacle makes a stress free arrival.
Leads, collars and bedding have been bought along with food and water bowls and of course toys. It has been decided that Treacle will have an indoor kennel that she will have access to throughout the day as pups like a cosy 'den' that they can go to for some quiet time and at night she can be secured so that there is no wiring or plumbing chewed. The kennel is in place, a vet has been selected for routine jabs, micro-chipping etc. All that is required now is .............TREACLE!! Wait for the next exciting episode.