Fizz goes tailgating

So we have Patriots' season tickets, and today was the 2nd to last home game of the regular season.  Decided that since my parents were watching the kids, I'd bring Fizz to the pre-game tailgate in order to get her out of their hair.   For two hours we walked about meeting people in all stages of sobriety (and non....), dodging grills with yummy smelling sausages and hamburgers and of course, working on some of our training games.

The parking lot we use is not that far from the stadium, so thousands of people walk past on their way up to the game.   Fizz and I hung out at the entrance, she easily met 200 new people today and was a doll for all of it.   Many people told us of their current or former Rottweilers.   And I will admit, I heard one of the most unique comments to date, in owning this breed.   "You can tell she's fullblooded by her eyebrows!  Just look at those eyebrows!"   Smile and nod yes.   :)    (The only statement that tops that was made about 10yrs ago, when someone asked me if Bort, at about 18mos, was a Beagle.    Ummm..............)

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and much joy in 2012!!

Fizz with hubby, our friend Peter, and his friend from Switzerland, Marc.

2 layers of pants, 1 turtleneck, 2 fleeces....ah yes, that's how we stay warm! :)

Fizz wearing my season ticket.

Fizz's fans include Santa!

Visit to Home Depot - 14wks

This morning we headed to Home Depot, hubby needed a few plumbing parts (eventually it was easier to just buy a whole new toilet!) and I decided that Fizz was going to have a great socialization outing.  I hadn't planned any real training, just a chance for a new environment and lots of new people.

Fizz entered like she owned the place, and within  a minute, I had her playing games with me and earning treats.   We started with simple nose touches, and progressed to calling off distractions (new people are about a Level 14 on a scale of 10 for Fizz)....including new people, dust bunnies in corners, and cords hanging down from poles.   I was amazed to see her leave a new person, and thrilled to see that she put the value in me over the new person, as I know how much she adores meeting new people.

After making our way to the back cross-store aisle, we worked some RZ, first in one-step forward increments, and then several 180 turns.   She nailed it, and was pushing me hard with her eyes to keep working, to keep earning reward.   LOVED seeing this from her.   No luring, no begging on my part.   Just a simple response to her awesome choices.    She was totally focused and wanting to work.   I released her from work to go say hi to at least 10 different staff members, and several customers.   Each time, she came back ready to work again!

We worked in aisles on Its Yer Choice.   I forgot the rule of "it's a new environment, be sure to set up for success" and just started working on the level of distraction that we work at home.  I asked for a sit, tossed her most favorite tug over her head (from behind), squiggled it along the floor in front of her, and tossing hot dog pieces onto the floor so that they bounced right towards her toes.   Not a flinch.   Yep, old hat for this old soul.   A truly brilliant puppy!   BIG reward and party for such awesome work.   Lots of tugging, and I had a mother/son team watching from the end of the aisle, with Mom narrating the puppy's training session (I think my enthusiasm was not very quiet!).

We had several hard fast recalls, raced the length of empty aisles, and worked more Its Yer choice with the tug.   When it was finally time to select our new toilet, I put Fizz in a down (this is not on verbal cue yet) and fed a few times to build duration, and then just waited.    She put her chin down and completely relaxed.   Released her to greet some new people, then back into her down.   Finally, got her up on the flatbed cart with the toilet box and asked for a sit while the cart rocked forward onto the fore set of wheels.

I think what amazed the most was the intensity with which she worked with me, despite this new, exciting, and highly distracting environment.  I felt like the training sessions we've been doing for the past many weeks were suddenly coming together and I had a puppy who was happy and willing and eager to work, starting to really generalize behaviors and pushing me for more.  Absolute JOY! :)

Crate Games with strong distractions

At 14 weeks, Fizz has been playing Susan Garrett's Crate Games with me for about 4 weeks now.   We are working on building a strong foundation to resisting temptation/distraction, which will eventually carry over to rock solid sits and downs (I don't use the word "stay" in training).

Fizz's morning started out with a trip in to Boston's busy Logan International airport.   We went through the parking garage, to the elevator, and down to the baggage claim area of Terminal B.   Fizz was excited to meet 2 men in the elevator, and find many families just "sitting around waiting to be greeted" at the carousels. :)   The buzzing of the warning bell didn't bother her one bit, and we learned that suitcase wheels are potentially lots of fun (hmmm.......need some proofing on wheels!).    We then took the escalator up to Ticketing, and were about to take another one down when a State Trooper spotted us.  He pleasantly asked me to carry her, so as not to provide distraction to the working bomb dogs.   I know that a puppy's scent is not a distraction to bomb dogs, but I obeyed, and she was carried down the escalator.    Another few families to greet, and we were off to the elevator, and back to the parking garage to leave.    Another item crossed off the Insane Puppy Plan. :O)

After our trip to Logan, I decided to work Crate Games distractions just before lunch.   My treats included some of her very high value rewards, including chicken, and for toys, I chose her 3 favorite tugs.   Despite the fact that she was being rained upon through her wire crate, Fizz performed admirably.   We also worked a bit of Its Yer Choice with the tug at the end of the video.  I'm so excited to be working with such a fun puppy.   She has drive, focus, confidence and tons of personality!    Just love her to bits!

Warning for those on slow connections:  this is a long video (8 minutes).