Conditioning Havanese

With everything, if you are having issues with your Havanese, slow conditioning does wonders. You just have to be consistent and persistent.

Every moment is an opportunity to teach and reinforce. You can always practice 'come', heeling on walks, sits, downs, stay etc

Use the opportunity even if it's at home. Never give a free treat or a hug or - anything when you can use that moment to continue learning. Well, don't make a habit of it - heh!

Abs is having an issue with the grass. Although she had her morning and afternoon show training in it, we want her to think that the grass is fun as well.

So, off to the park we went with Shoshi, daddy and me, of course. I have to take the photos, you know.

Well, you can clearly tell Abs is a puppy not just due to the length of her hair but the relentless deaking (running and swiping) she did with Shoshi to get her to play. Shoshi needed it too.

Shoshi's favourite place is the park behind the school. It's not always quiet so we have to know when we can do off leash work and when we can't. We have excellent recall with both of these particular dogs so they have earned their off leash play. But Nathan uses it as an opportunity to get them to 'come' for a treat. They count on it!

They also played fetch the ball but Abigail would touch it to claim it but hasn't quite figured out to bring it back. This is OUR problem as we should have been teaching her fetch. It's a great game that Shoshi knows so well. We are hoping that Abigail picks it up from her as she is in for many more park plays. Doesn't she look thoroughly happy and in the top photo, exhausted too?

See, show training can be fun too. How was this show training? We were showing Abs that grass is fun and I do believe she believed it today.