Doing some practice with Lucy this weekend and just have a couple questions 😊 Loose leash walking is going good! She does stray sometimes (mostly with scents, we haven't seen many people or dogs to test that unfortunately. Hoping to see some people out tonight to see how she is before her last week!). If there's something up ahead that I KNOW she's going to be super keen to smell, should I use 'free' and let her have at it and then 'let's go' after she's had her fun? Auto down is getting better, she'll mostly down without needing to stim but 50/50 if she's laying beside or kinda randomly. As long as she auto downs... not a worry about her exact placement still? Place and under are okay! We just need to keep practicing. I’ve been trying a couple rapid “place” “free” “place” “free” etc and that’s been okay. Down is the one I’m having the most trouble with, she won’t listen and then seems off when I use the collar? Scared almost? Even just on a 1. One thing I really wanted to make sure was okay – sometimes she can randomly just be weird. Both with the stim and commands. I didn’t have her leash on when I was practicing last night and that was my mistake – when I asked ‘down’ or ‘place’ she ran off to a different room. Sometimes hiding in her crate? And then with the leash on she still will try to get away. So sometimes when I initially say the command she goes “SEE YA” and tries to run off and other times she just won’t listen, I’ll stim on a 1, and she looks panicky tail tuck ears back and has been just dropping to the floor looking very concerned. I haven't been holding it, just tapping. Tips? Sorry for the story! Thank you! 😊

Working on dog reactivity today. 1st dog we ran into was one he recognizes, small , barking. He tried pulling g toward him we were actually in the other side of a wire fence. Cranked the receiver and pushed. High enough that he yelped. Still tried again for round 2, as the dog was focused on him Did a repeat He acted totally different then in class. Dog 2, Tanner zeroed in on him right away as he was walking on the sidewalk ahead of us , about 20 /25 feet. Did the same repeat, same results, yelp and very reactive to the charge but autoed down Happy to say that his under was perfect , and we practiced auto down , with 3 promoters He did great after with a repeat of 5 more autos. Had him auto down at end of hallway, there happened to be a dog in the condo behind is inside- dog sractched at door and whined, Tanner turned but I corrected him and placed him in an auto down, and held it for 3 min. Try sewi g what happens with the dog situation on Sun

OK So hone after week 2. Attempted under , going under benches outside. Used benches that were backed against a retaining wall as I found Tanner was going straight thru to the other side if any bench was open . He still went thru a snow bank , had to use the leash to get him to turn around. At one point he was frustrated enough to try and bite me -he had his muzzle on. Stopped the training and went home. Whenever I try free he goes straight to a snowbank and tries to rub the muzzle off.- which then I have to stop free and put him in a let's go. Also question,I charged his ecollar in the afternoon when I was out and he was sleeping, but when I went to do a training session with him at 7 pm I couldn't t, as the collar lost its charge, but the handheld device was ok. So I lost a training session( which I will make up today-Sun) Is it because he s getting it wet in the snow? I have since stopped him from face ploughing into the snow drifts. I placed him in an under in the lobby , as we have a long closed bench, and it was ok but not perfect. Will keep trying today. Am using rhe condo building hallways and lobby on Sunday as it is super cold out with the windchill. Ran into 2 people in the lobby, on Sat - he was good with them, asked permission to walk him back and forth while the woman was waiting for her partner, and it went well. Ran into a woman with a friendly , small dog- Tanner alerted so was able to get him into an auto down with a tap, but I also removed him from the situation and turned and went the other way. We did walk past a stroller plus 2 people, and he was good. Yah!!!!!!👍👍👍👍👍

• Close the kennel door while you’re still home Don’t let “door closing” only happen when you leave. • Practice short absences Step out of the room or house briefly, then return calmly. • Keep departures boring No talking, no petting, no emotional goodbyes. • Do not reopen the kennel during protests Wait for quiet before any interaction. • Ignore vocalizing or tantrums Responding teaches the dog that panic works. • Maintain a consistent routine Same kennel, same process, same timing. • Feed meals in the crate (door open at first) Build positive association without pressure. The crate should feel neutral and safe — not forced. • Use the crate during normal household activity Have your dog kenneled while you cook, clean, watch TV, work, or move around the house. They need to learn: “Crate time happens even when my people are home.” This removes the emotional trigger tied to departures. • Use a secure, enclosed kennel — avoid wire crates Wire crates often increase visual stimulation and arousal. Instead, use structured airline-style or rotational-molded kennels such as: - Ruffland - Nikanda - KBC These provide more containment, less visual stimulation, and a den-like environment that supports nervous system regulation. • Trust the kennel It provides clarity, containment, and predictability. • Give it time Most dogs improve rapidly once they realize nothing changes.

Wow, what a difference in 1 day. Tanner is auto down probably 90 % with no prompting. If there is a distraction- human- a quick tap gets his attention. He is such a good boy 😊❤