Bear's Training Continues

Since Bear passed his eye exam, we have continued with our training. We usually get together once a month with other puppy raisers as a group (like we did at the Mall of America). We have a new one scheduled in our hometown which is nice. We have a mall here that is four stories, stairs (both regular and spiral), elevator, tile and carpet floors, inclined floors, glass railings on all upper floors, and it's attached to a skyway system. The dogs will get a really good training there. I will do an update after that training.

It has really been very uneventful. Bear seems to be perfecting what he knows. I was able to teach him to turn off the lights and to take my socks off. Once the dogs know the basic commands - anything can be taught. He knows tug - so I pulled my sock off a little (to protect my toes) and then I stuck it in his face and said tug - he did! Too smart.

He also knows rise and touch and so to get him to rise to the lighswitch and touch was easy. He also gets a visual reward when the light goes off or on. That helps too. I am at a little disadvantage with the light switches. I only have one that Bear can do head on. He is so big, it is difficult for him to learn on the lights in my hallway where he'd actually have to get to it sideways.

We've had a couple of possible leads of clients for Bear. One is in Minnesota which would be great! I am learning a little more about this person (from a third party) and trying to perfect the skills that this client needs so Bear could be ready fairly soon.

The person's main need is fetching. OH! Can Bear handle that or what? I've had to close off my child's room (which is a disaster) because Bear can't stand anything on the floor. He brings me everything. He's very clean. :) I was afraid that if I let him tackle my childs room, he'd have an anxiety attack. :)

The first of May he will be going to work with me everyday. He does a great job. It's very boring for him because I have a desk job. He just sleeps under my desk. I figure if he was at home, he'd be sleeping in his kennel. So it's just a tradeoff of location.