We have been working on team work with out me being right next to them. Luke knows my commands over rule Ara's but he also needs to be able to listen to her and see her as a leader. Our whole goal is for one day them to be an independent team. The both need to be confident and trust in each other so that is why we are working on this.
I know some people think it may be odd that we practice dog sports. Most dog sports take a great deal of focus, obedience and build confidence not to mention burn off extra puppy energy.
"Rally is a sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that has been designed by the rally judge. The judge tells the handler to begin, and the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10 - 20, depending on the level). Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. Scoring is not as rigorous as traditional obedience." - AKC Site http://www.akc.org/events/rally/getting-started/
If you think about the skills required it goes hand in hand with a lot of the training done for service dogs.
It is just so nice to have a big yard and places to do more training. We have been slacking off for a while now and really need to buckle back down and get to work. Did you know Luke has over 400 hours logged of training and public access work.
This month is Luke's Birthday he will be turning two years old on Oct. 26th. I can not believe how fast the time has flown. He is a special boy and has made a huge difference in Ara's life. To celebrate I will be making some homemade dog goodies for him. Also if anyone is interested I also have an amazon wish list set up http://amzn.com/w/2193N6BF9ZT9Y everything on the list will help with Luke's training and care :)
