Update on Sugar

Sugar is steadily improving day after day. We are up to 15 minutes walking, 2 x a day, and he is moving well.  We started a 5 minute walk after one week when he came up to me and told me, "Ok..you are not taking me to work - ADT - and we are NOT going for my 3+ mile off-leash hikes, nor are we doing ANY obedience training.  I'm going nuts, please work me?" As an FYI...does his recuperation mean he does not work right now?  No, he is working, just not anywhere near what he was doing prior to surgery.

Margot is teaching a "Lights, Camara, ...ACTION!" class for advanced students who, like me, want to be able to do commercials and etc., with their trained dog. Last Saturday, without Sugar, I attended that class.  I got to use Sherpa to learn the mechanics of teaching an on-command "Jump" using a new training tool, the Jump stick.

With Sugar still recuperating, there is no way for him to do a full blown jump of any height.  However, I can teach the mechanics of this new command and so he is learning this new command on  very tiny, short 12" jump heights.

Additionally, as a puppy, Sugar was taught "Touch" which is a great way to teach a dog to target the palm of your hand and put its nose on it on command.  From that foundation, you can then teach a dog to target something else and go to it on command.  So, Sugar is getting 'worked' in the house, when outside in the back yard, and on our walks with the "Touch" command.

Sugar's training continues, as always, it just has changed shape to accommodate where he is at right now physically.