Sugar socialization as a young dog, 2009 -2010

Hello, hello again:)

It was another misty, soggy day Sunday afternoon, but took Sugar anyway for a quick workout at Centennial Lake. We had a lovely time exploring, walking, and watching geese waddle (and quack loudly) everywhere. Sugar was fascinated with them and although we were less than 10' from them, that's as close as we needed to be. So I had him do Sit/Stays, Down/Stays (regular Downs), the Stand/Stays, and worked on the new Lion Down move from a Stand position.

Also, there at been a HUGE BIKE RACE earlier that morning, so everywhere were grandstands being broken down and HUGE red and white balloon display. At the top of each of these configurations was a HUGE RED BALLOON....BIGGER ALMOST THAN SUGAR...and these balloon displays were lying down on the ground so I worked Sugar around them, between them, rubbed them (they make a really funny noise to which Sugar just tilted his head in curiosity, then went back to staring at the lake and watching the geese), and then took photo's of him.


We headed towards the boat dock and I found a couple of young men, employees of the park, sitting watching it rain in the patio area. I worked Sugar in front of them, they were suitably impressed and asked questions while I worked him, so as always, I asked if they'd like to help train him? They said, "Sure, LOVE TO!" and so I did several Stand for Exams with 2 of the young men, then used both of them as posts to do Figure Eights and had them call out Halt Your Dog for me at random times.

Then, sweet as I could be, I asked if there would ever be a time when I could come back and put Sugar on/off the platoon boats as he was in training to be a water/bird dog and needed that kind of exposure to learn? They were kind enough to go ask their boss who indicated I could go right then as they were nearly closed up for the day. So, Sugar and I walked on the boat dock and went on/off multiple platoon boats so he could get adjusted to the feel of a shifting/floating surface. He did extremely well, a tad curious about the water, but I made sure he knew that the assignment WAS ONLY TO GET ON/OFF the boats, which we did using the Place command (sure do love this command and its endless versatility in everyday life). Eventually, I just pointed and said, "Sugar, Place, Stay" or "Sugar, Place, Sit" so he practiced entry/exit without me being in the boat.

All in all, it was an unexpected training opportunity I took full advantage of training Sugar. Officially, Sugar has completed ALL HIS SOCIALIZATION LIST REQUIREMENTS. Way to go, Sugar!

More later, gotta go.

Roxanne:)