A bit of a training switch. I have decide to let Boss grow up and will be putting him up for awhile. He shows me everything I want to see in a young dog, but lacks maturity to do the next steps. Besides that, he is such a klutz right now, all legs and no co-ordination and needs the time to get it all together. However Tessa, having recovered from a leg injury and surgery for the last year and has finished her maternal duties, was brought out to see how she would do. She hasn't been out on the field for over a year and was just doing puppy stuff then. Now, just in her second time out, she is biting the hard sleeve very full and firm, with drive to spare. Her barking comes easy and is a very strong bark. No high pitch or squeeking. Ears up, no teeth and no backing up. So the diary will continue with her and Flex. Flex was having a bit of a set back. His drives seemed to be dropping out the bottom. After discussion with the TD and his breeder we have changed his training to include more defense. He needs this as his prey drive is not strong enough to keep him in high drive. He is back to his old self now, but we seem to be stuck on getting him to bark strongly. He wants to bite or just wait. By bringing the defense back into the work we hope to teach him that he can control what happens by barking strongly at the helper. During the last session he may have shown that he was getting the idea. Hope the light bulb has clicked on in his brain. I have a new computer toy that will let me put video on of the training sessions. Also for easier reading I will be putting the most current dates on the top. Keep reading below for the early days. Keep checking back. More to come.
Boss is a young dog that came to my kennel last July. Keep checking back and watch the progression of a Schutzhund prospect from the beginning to the end...at least we hope. He show lots of promise as a schutzhund prospect. Energy and drive enough for 6 dogs he can be a handful, but I love that in a dog. A real toyaholic and a good barker. He appears to be fearless, but I think he just doesn't know that there is anything to be afraid of, the whole world is a game to him and he is here to
play. These are of Boss in Oct. 97
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Mar. 1, 1998
Boss is progressing well in training. He has finally started to understand heel position. This has been difficult due to the fact he thinks he must have something in his mouth at all times, lead, ball, me. But, he is a happy worker and his tail (which has a curl in it)wags even when sitting. He has been biting the hard sleeve for 2 sessions now and is having no trouble. Barking has never been a problem for him, maybe for me but never him. He will not be old enough for the clubs trial the end of May, but he should get his "B" by the end of the year. New pictures should be coming next week.
Training went well this week. He is really understanding heel position now, but he is still wants to swing his rear out. Won't be long until I start adding the sit while heeling. Stays are coming just fine. Still to young to do much in the bite work, mostly working on targeting on the sleeve. The photo below is of Boss at 9 months, playing with a towel.
Mar.20,98
The day of the big sigh. Took Boss in for his hip prelims. He behaved beautifully in the vets and everyone oohed and ahhed appropriately. Glad to report that his hips look real good. "big sigh"
Beautiful day for training. Boss is progressing well. His obedience is starting to shape up. He is heeling at a angle right now, but is maintaining proper position. Maintains great attention for the toy. In bite work, barking is not a problem, he really wants to get that sleeve. Targeting is his main problem, he tends to get in front of the helper, but he starting to figure it out. A picture is worth a thousand words. See the new photos from this last training secession.
Mar.15,98 
Apr.5,98
His excitment in the work is still causing problems. He wants to get in front of the helper and this is still making it difficult to position him for a correct bite. Can't really move him on until he figures this out.
Sorry I haven't updated this for awhile. Things are still progressing well. Boss is coming up on his 1 year old birthday July 5, but he is still very puppy like in looks and behavior. His obedience is looking very nice. Still just taking it easy, and not much pressure. He is very quick and his strong prey drive makes it easy to keep focus. In his bite work he is targeting better and able to do back up bites with a lot of speed and is hitting pretty hard. The helpers tell me his grip has improved greatly and is really starting to harden up. I really need to get back to tracking him more. I started him as a young pup and had him doing corners, but my dog time has been limited by my work time. It's a shame we have to work for a living. The heat this week has been horrible. The humidity has been up to 80-90 percent and the temp was 95 on the way home from training. Boss and Flex each had a bowl of ice in their crate. Flex just keep spilling his and sleeping on the cubes, he's no dummy. I had ice bags in a cooler in case I had to stop on the Interstate. Car broke down a couple of weeks ago on the way home and I wanted to be prepared just in case. Hope to be a bit more consistant with these notes, and I think it's time for new pixs. So keep watch.
Dogs are progressing well. Boss is really starting to show some good stuff. He brings lots of drive to the work without much help from the helpers. He is one year old today, but still very inmature. Long and lanky he is just now starting to develope secondary sex characteristics. Biggest problem in obedience is he still wants to get in front (still watching me though)and heel at a 45 degree angle. I'm hoping he will settle into a better position when he figures out just where he is suppose to be. Boss is a outgoing, happy, strongly driven dog, but I fear he is not the brightest carayon in the box. Flex is making progress, but since he lacks a strong prey drive and works in mostly defense getting him to bark has been a challage. Opposite of Boss, Flex has a high degree of smarts and tends to think to much. Drives decrease as pressure is made in not biting and to bark and hold. His grips are still good, but he lacks intensity and drive in the hold work. We hope that with time and successful work he will figure out he gets what he wants and tries harder. Nothing that will prevent his going on to being titled however. He just needs to stop asking why and get on with the work. Sometimes intelligence in not a good thing. Missed last weeks training, but will try to get pictures this week.