It all makes sense.....now!!

So,I figure that I have been around dogs & trained & worked with many dogs, that I actually know what I'm doing. Well I'm beginning to realize I STILL have alot to learn....yeesh!

Last night at rally class we were practising putting our dogs into heel position after our dogs came into the front position. Sounds simple enough, but Tate sits crooked 80% of the time....I know this, he always has, but I've always tried to "fix" it by moving forward & getting him to sit straight.

It took Amanda pointing out to me that I'm basically training Tate to wait for the second command.......this is Tate's thinking.......mom asks me to come front, I sit pretty for her & get a treat, then mom asks me to heel, I go around the back of her & sit at her side, but, because she has treats in front of her, I have to swing my butt so I can look up, & I always get a treat because I have made such of good effort at the task she has asked of me! But wait, now I have to wait for her to move , then I sit again & get another treat!! Easy peezy!!! I love obedience!

Sooooo, I took a long look at what I have been doing, things like holding the treats in both hands on my stomach, instead of holding the treat in my left hand, with my elbow glued to my side & the treat out front of Tate, not in front of me!!.....I did this all morning on our walk, & guess what? Not only does Tate stay in proper heel position, he sits straight for the treat! Duh!!!

There are other dumb things I have been doing, but I won't embarress myself anymore! Just when you think you know what you're doing...... oh well, back to learning!