I have been away and thus we haven’t done any training. thought I would do some really "cold" tests. Lollie will be 2 at the end of the month, so I am expecting her to "remember" things :-).

Her heelwor was amazing – if anything better than before I left. She has figured the left turns out now I think which up to recently were a bit untidy and a "problem" in her little mind.

She even did the area search for me today – she always does searches but usually believes I can pick up my own items – I know in the levels she doesn’t have to pick the articles up, but in my training I want her to bring them to me and today she did. still no holding them, but at least a drop at my feet. I think I will pass her on that …

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Come	7	1	0	100%	No
Heel	7	1	0	100%	Yes
Scenting	7	3	0	100%	Yes

Since Sue has given permission to do a freestyle routine as "trick level 7", we started putting a few moves together, which invariably leads to coming up with new things to do. So now I am trying a crawl in front of me, while I am also crawling. Much harder than her normal crawl, as she normally uses my feet as cues. But when we have finished it, it will be a really cute and difficult move for our freestyle performances (the real ones, not the "Level" one :-)).

No behaviors trained

Put her mat out in the dining room while I was busy in the kitchen. we had 2 major distractions when my husband plus other dog returned from the shops, she still didn’t move! GOOD GIRL. i kept very, very quiet and low key ;), didn’t think she would actually stay there under those circumstances :)

We have spent the last 3 days at SAs largest pet expo – what a big learning curve for the puppies! All indoor – los of activity, lots of people and of course lots of dogs.

Managed to do some additional training and formal testing.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Down	7	5	0	100%	Yes
Retrieve	5	3	1	67%	No
Sit	7	5	0	100%	Yes
Stand	7	5	0	100%	Yes
Target	6	6	0	100%	Yes

This was part og the previous test

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Distance	7	2	0	100%	Yes

Repeat after me: Lollie is not Chippy, and Chippy is not Lollie, and don’t expect the one to be able to do what the other one can…. sigh …

We had a rather awful testing session with lollie (absolutely stunning with Chippy ;-)). I must admit that the cat interfering with the jumps badly distracted her, but it shouldn’t make so much difference. Need to do much more distance work for Agility.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Distance	6	2	2	0%	No
Down Stay	6	1	0	100%	Yes
Jump, Broad	6	3	2	33%	No
Sit Stay	6	1	0	100%	Yes

Took her with to Beth for some carting training with Flocki for WODAC. Only had her out for a few minutes – very good. Lots of people (standing around having tea), lots of dogs (lying around), all quite tight. Did FABULOUS distance controll with HS. Also allowed herself to be touched all over by one lady. Did not like tio be touched/approached by Linda who also ran puppy school. I think Lollie still has hang ups from puppy school, even though all other pups loved it.

Behavior	Level	Uncued Reps	Cued Reps	Cued Errors	Success Rate	Duration	Distance
Down	7	0	3	0	100%		10.0 ft
Down Stay	5	0	1	0	100%	2m
Stand Stay	7	0	1	0	100%

practised some stuff we haven’t done in a while. thought we would be able to test for "target – wall 40’ away", but NO WAYYYY -need to do much more work. Have forgotten that Lollie doesn’t like to work away from me much.

Behavior	Level	Uncued Reps	Cued Reps	Cued Errors	Success Rate	Duration	Distance
Down	7	0	3	0	100%
Down Stay	7	0	1	0	100%	1m 30s
Sit	7	0	3	0	100%
Sit Stay	7	0	1	0	100%	1m 30s
Target	6	0	5	3	40%		20.0 ft

We practised the area search and di a few other things as well. The search is going OK. She doesn’t see the point in going back in to find more articles. She brought 3 articles out but "chucked" them down and does still not "present". One in particular she played for quite some time with before bringing it out … sigh …

Behavior	Level	Uncued Reps	Cued Reps	Cued Errors	Success Rate	Duration	Distance
Down Stay	5	0	2	1	50%	1m
Heel	5	0	2	0	100%		15.0 ft
Scenting	7	0	3	0	100%
Stand	6	0	2	1	50%

This was realy OTR, but I don’t know how else you would want to test this.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Leash Manners	6	5	0	100%	Yes

Did a 2 day Agility trial with SADAA, our "rebel" Ag organisation. Lots and lots of learning for Lollie. Excellent experience all round. Had some toime to do "general" training and a few tests.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Handling	7	3	0	100%	Yes
Stand	7	3	0	100%	Yes
Stand Stay	7	1	0	100%	Yes

We did this test during an Agility trial, but I gather if she can do it there it counts as a ‘standard" test as well.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Down	6	5	0	100%	Yes
Stand	6	3	0	100%	Yes

Lollie was on top form today. I have been away for a wek with 3 of her dogs, perhaps that helped to focus her mind ;-)

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Finish	7	5	1	80%	Yes
Front	7	6	0	100%	Yes
Sit	6	5	0	100%	Yes

There was a lot of distractions, I was really pleased with her performance today. It helps to take her out regularly (surprise, surprise! ;-)).

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Down	7	5	0	100%	Yes
Finish	7	4	1	75%	Yes
Sit	7	5	0	100%	Yes
Stand	7	3	0	100%	Yes
Trick	7	5	2	60%	Yes

Yesssssss…. we finally made level 5 Captured Trick is the turn of the head to the left. I know, it would have been easier to teach this with a target, but I needed a captured trick and it was a move that came up at a workshop, so I took it from there. Will teach the "righ" as well, so I can get a "no" (left-right)

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Trick	5	3	0	100%	Yes

This was really an OTR test, but I think for "going over" the dog, it probably is best to be done somewhere else anyway.

She had 3 different people go over her, and I wasn’t even there to hold her! Good Girl (even if the one lady, is so very, very good with dogs, it is almost scary to see them react to her! – or should that be "not" react to her)

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Stand Stay	5	3	0	100%	Yes

Totally OTT, and not part of the training levels, Lollie was at her first Agility competition and placed 2nd in her class, with only 1 refusal. She got all her contacts! and handled pretty well overall, also did her poles pretty well, even if she still needs me there to get her through them.

Good Girl Lollie! – Thank you Sue for your Training Levels

No behaviors trained

evening (dark)

Did the training in combination with the test.

we were ad an indoor seminar last week, and despite all the Watch and other training we had done, I was surprised how very distracted Lollie was at the seminar. In her defense I must say that she has never been in a "class" after puppy socialising, and we have practically no indoor dog venues here, let alone have a room full of crated dogs and be expected to work. She did give me some nice work, I am not saying she wasn’t working, but her attention was definitely spread between the room and me. I would have expected her to be more concentrated once in "training mode" ... so, decided more "back to basics" was needed, and did some watch exercises today.

We have also started on the captured trick – moving the head to the left. This actually came out of the freestyle seminar, and while I would teach this differently normally, I decided we may as well use this as our captured trick exercise. She is getting pretty good, but now started moving her whole front end, rather than just the head. Also still offering it a lot without cue.

She was very good about all the food bits on the floor, in fact ignored those completely.

Behavior	Level	Uncued Reps	Cued Reps	Cued Errors	Success Rate	Duration	Distance
Trick	5	10	5	2	60%
Watch	3	0	5	1	80%	30s

She seems to be more comfortable and much more accurate with hand signals than verbal!! Is that just the sign of a typical herding dog or bad verbal cue training? :-( Probably/maybe a combination of both

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Down	5	6	0	100%	Yes
Sit	5	6	0	100%	Yes

we did the 2 tests in 2 separate sessions, but I record as one

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Crate	6	1	0	100%	Yes
Go To Mat	6	1	0	100%	Yes

On the second scent Lollie didn’t seem to "see" the "correct" article, but checked the blank and did not indicate it. the other dogs had come to the fence to stare at her, and although she is not a timid dog, this may have thrown her off, when I sent her back she found the correct one, so I will let her pass, especially since the other 2 were really good.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Front	7	2	2	0%	No
Scenting	4	3	1	67%	Yes
Stand	5	3	0	100%	Yes
Zen	5	3	0	100%	Yes

We started off testing Chippy, but either he was geuinely too hot to lie on a bed, or he just thought that was a good excuse, he kept getting off the bed and lying on the concrete … So I called Lollie, who does not usually consider the mat exercise one of her favourites …

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Go To Mat	7	2	0	100%	Yes

This was a fun outing. Anthony had to do some shopping, so we took both pups. He held one in the shop while I was working with the other "around the corner".

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Come	7	3	0	100%	Yes

It was a loooong day.

we did lots of little things. Some very nice LLW around the show grounds, some more scent work (excellent with really good checking of tissues and no pulling of tissues around, recalling, etc.

No behaviors trained

The pups were with us at an Agility trial. There was lots of free time to play around with them. They also did their first baby round (9 jumps at about 25 cm, tire and tunnel). Lollie came back out of the U-tunnel, that was her only mistake.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Contacts	6	3	0	100%	Yes
Handling	7	1	0	100%	Yes
Stand Stay	5	3	0	100%	Yes

The pups were with us at an Agility trial. There was lots of fre time to play around.

No behaviors tested

Did the test after a long walk.

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Down Stay	6	1	0	100%	Yes
Zen	7	3	0	100%	Yes

This was a truly bad session. we had Bubi in the office with us, and I gave him a treat for every missed cue Lollie had – bad move … (or was that a good move:)). She almost blew her little mind. Was totally unconcentrated, couldn’t do the easiest things any more. Need to fit another training session in later today just to "smooth things over". Now literally "nothing" went right (retrieve, sit, stand, heel, front …. :(

No behaviors trained

was working with the Girls on searches. Did Lollie’s test afterwards. Then asked her to down while I did a search/play with 2 other dogs – Lollie was very good – so impressed. It wasn’t a long down, but she didn’t move, despite praise and treats being dished out and the 2 others running around.

Behavior	Level	Uncued Reps	Cued Reps	Cued Errors	Success Rate	Duration	Distance
Down Stay	4	0	1	0	100%	2m
Front	7	0	4	0	100%

Because of hopes of some day doing obedience competition here in South Africa with her, I am not doing a lot of the "drop on recall" exercises. It is not something we do here, and I rather have her fast recall as she has it. So, will work on it a little, but not too much.

After test "come".

Lollie is offering really wonderful heelwork. Very pleased wit that. Did some stationary turns today and a little pace change.

Behavior	Level	Uncued Reps	Cued Reps	Cued Errors	Success Rate	Duration	Distance
Finish	5	0	3	0	100%
Front	7	0	3	0	100%
Roll Over	0	0	2	0	100%
Sit Stay	4	0	1	0	100%	1m	40.0 ft
Trick	6	0	4	0	100%		5.0 ft
back	0	0	2	0	100%		2.0 ft
on the right	0	0	3	0	100%		40.0 ft
turn	0	0	6	1	83%

Practised the Agility poles – sigh – not very good. Still on "V" kept missing the first pole and/or last pole, and I am next to her (she won’t do them at all today without me next to her … maybe must go back to very flat poles with her and start again? She ofefred heelwork, we did some of that. Overall really nice. Would like to have her closer still, especially in the stationary positions

No behaviors trained

Still same test, different levels

Behavior	Level	Total Reps	Errors	Success Rate	Passed
Contacts	7	3	0	100%	Yes

Same test, just different levels. In addition to her "up and down" performance, we did the "wall touch" at the end, which she was awesome at. The wall was a garage door that banged as she paw touched it and she didn’t care. Plus she needed to walk up 2 steps to get to the door.