It's official: OUR CROWNED KING OF THE LEAF PILE!

More Training

Bear is demonstrating the "touch" command. We started on the floor like this and then we moved to the wall. It was easier for me to give him the command "rise" to get up on the wall and then "touch" to press that touch light. Now, if I say "touch" and have my hand on something like the handicap button on the door, he immediately jumps up and bangs the button with his paw. This is another command I love to use! It usually bring a lot of attention from people watching too.

If I set that touch light on the floor and don't say anything, Bear will immediately go over to it and start pawing at it, then look at me for a treat. He definitely has this command down.

Our next step is to use "nudge" and "touch" to close doors, drawers, and cupboards. 

Here is Bear using the "nudge" command. He turns on the touch light and gets a treat. He's so funny. He'll keep banging his nose into it to turn it on so he can have another treat. I almost can't keep up with him. So far, this command has been used to get him to push smaller things with his nose like elevator buttons. Paws are too big but those little pointy noses work great. I am amazed at how strong they are too. We were at another puppy raisers house and her dog was banging his nose into the door so she would let him in. It sounded like someone knocking! 

Here Bear is demonstrating the command "rise". Next I'll be working on "hold" so he can take a coin purse, rise up on the counter in stores, and pay the bill! I wish he had his own credit card!! Bear already uses "rise" when opening handicapped doors. It's helpful if I need to get him up higher and then give him another command. 

Balloons! We found out he hates balloons in Phoenix. So, we try to bring them home whenever we can and let him sniff them. The novelty has pretty much worn off. Any time these dogs are nervous or skittish about something - they just identified a training issue that needs to be worked on. We work on those issues over and over until they are no longer issues.