A dog that really thinks
I have faced now a new challenge in my training carrier.
Freya has proven to be a dog
that really thinks what she is doing. This shows in few different ways
when you train with her. First of all Freya learns really fast and
always thinks before she does everything. Her thinking
also makes sometimes really slow because she wants do everything right
from first time on. Also when she learns something she wants stick with
it. For example healing has been started on side position and today I
trained coming to healing position from laying
down position. Freya had hard time to come to me with healing cue. She
needed lots of rewards to even react to healing cue. So she need lots of
variations in keep her mind open and really listen what I say. Of course this one of reason was that this was her first time but sometimes she just thinks and not make any tries to change her behavior. This is a new thing. Pixie and Louise are dogs that do things first and then think. :D
Her
thinking also shows in agility. Every time I have taught her a new
obstacle or handling maneuver she has done everything
really slow. Freya has built up the speed gradually after she has been
sure what I ask her to do. This has been a new experience for me. Pixie
has always done everything in high speed. So I have had to wait the
speed to come to her doing. Freya thinking might
make her slow also when we start compete. I assume that she will need
time get used to new environments and also to new obstacles. On the
other hand I hope that she will take her time to learn to do things
right before high speed so that she doesn't for example
drop bars. This has been Pixie problems as she has always think that
speed is everything for this problem I can take half of the blame.
Freya
has opened a new window to world of border collies. She more shepherd
type on bc. She is reactive and sensitive but
also very quick learner. Her sensitivity has been also good and bad
thing. This makes super easy to handle in agility but also sensitive
react on my temperament. This will a learning route for me to become
even more calm when we train and also I need learn
how play with her more gently. Freya has also taken me to a new world
on sheep herding. Here I have seen her hard headed and super focused.
Herding world is something I want learn more about. I need learn more
about bc herding side so that I can understand
better my sensitive dog. Herding is the reason that many Border collie
is sensitive dog. When you have herd of sheep you will learn a totally
different side of your dog and its abilities.
That's a little bit what have come to mind on our journey with Freya. This is again nice opportunity to become better trainer again. This is on going process to understand what kind of dog Freya really is.
That's for now!
MLPF
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