Lyra - week 2, day 6

Lyra is doing very well.

Mostly we play.  Play and play some more.  She gets the toy and we run up and down together.  I grab the toy when she catches up to me.  I'd love to play without a toy in her mouth, but she'll target my legs and bite.  That hurts.  She is very much a ring sport bred dog (leg biters).

I'm working on her looking UP when she comes near me rather than at my legs.  We'll get there, but there is some genetic hard wiring going on here, and that will take a while to overcome.

Today we worked on placing her front feet on a frisbee, while she works her rear end.  She's starting to get it.  it doesn't hurt that her food drive is increasing, slowly but surely.  Either way, she's only good for about eight click/treats before she wanders off.  I allow her to leave.  She's young and it simply doesn't matter.

We did a tiny bit of heeling for a toy; she's getting that too.  If she thinks I've pushed her too hard, she either bites my legs or wanders off.  That's fine too.

Finally, we did some dumbbell work.  I'm working on teaching a fast "strike" to the dumbbell by moving it just before she gets her mouth on it.  I'm also working on turning it to various angles to teach her to target the bar. Sometimes I do this for food but mostly for a toy.  She's figuring it out.

Today she went to my friend's birthday party.  She behaved very well with the resident laborador and with the 30 or so guests that were there.  I am particularly impressed by her behavior with children, some of whom seem to have no experience with dogs.

If you are a parent, please look at the blog by Madeleine Gabriel (listed to the side in the blogs link - Dogs and Babies).  She's about as sensible as I've seen when it comes to child/dog interactions.  She stresses giving the dog a choice in the interaction; teach children to allow dogs to approach rather than approaching the dog.  It was notable how many kids tried to pick up Lyra (I dont' allow that) or who reached down and grabbed her from the back (not ok but she tolerates it).

All in all, a good day for a puppy.