No class for Carmen

Due to the funky weather Carmen did not have class for a second week. Eeek! So, I practiced attention and sitting on the left with her, and a bit of informal heeling, or LLW. She is a very quick study. So completely different than Ike. I am still trying to figure out how she is so different.

Ike is now at a point where he eagerly tries to figure out what I want, but Carmen after being neglected (training-wise) for 5 years is there in a couple of weeks of playing (training). She picked up sitting when I stop in about 2 seconds, literally.

The funniest part about these little practice sessions is that I am doing them in my in-law's finished porch (due to the weather, of course) which spans the back of their house. There are french glass doors from the main part of the house onto the porch. I lock myself out on the porch and practice while the other dogs are inside. Initially Ike screamed bloody murder, now he watches through the french doors with his little tail wagging. I practiced a bit with Ike after Carmen and she did the same thing, with a bit of woo-wooing added in.

Just realized the obvious reason Carmen is picking things up so much faster than Ike did. *I* have had more practice training. I have obviously honed my technique is some manner that makes things clearer - that and she is a different dog, of course.

Fun stuff. I am enjoying having to think with her. I am seriously thinking about doing a private with Katrin on heeling. I find the whole act somewhat mystifying, having never properly trained it.