Read chapter 1 of Luna’s training story here
I don’t know why I worried because it was actually a very exciting day when my humans drove me to MSPCA-Nevins Farm in Methuen. We met with a new human whose boots smelled of different dogs, cats and even horses! Before I knew it, the humans were making clicking sounds and feeding me smelly, delicious treats. I didn’t have to do anything special but eat one yummy treat after another. It was wonderful! The Nevins visit was all about me; I knew this because, even though I don’t know a lot of English words, I do know my name. They kept saying, “Luna blah blah Luna blah blah blah Luna blah blah” and on and on. They must have been saying good things, or they wouldn’t have given me all of those yummy treats.
Then I heard a loud knock and I barked. I didn’t get a treat for this and don’t know why. Didn’t my humans want to know if the knock was from a friendly human who’d give hugs and belly rubs, or from a bad human who would hurt us? Humans never seem concerned with knocking but I am. I bark with all of my strength and for as long as possible.
Soon after this, we went outside where there was more clicking followed by those same delicious treats and even a few fingers to lick. Click, treat, click, treat, all the way across the parking lot. Then I got to jump back into the car which is one of my favorite things.
A few days later, a paper came out of the printer upstairs, and I knew it was for me because it said “Luna” right at the top. I’ve never seen a printer paper with my name on it 6 times! I’m so excited to share it with you. Every word that is a favorite of mine is in BIG letters:
Thank you for taking the time to schedule a lesson with LUNA. I LOVED meeting her- she is very SMART and so CUTE!
Reason for Lesson
- Work on four FEET on floor – not JUMPING.
- BARKING sometimes growling when she is afraid of new PEOPLE or things both in the house and sometimes on WALKS on leash.
- Nervous around cars.
- Polite greetings when PEOPLE come to the door and be polite when you have VISITORS or when you have other DOGS at your home
- Goal to be able to take LUNA to work and maybe become a therapy DOG.
Training/Recommendations
Management: Prevention is critical whether it be to keep things SAFE or just to prevent an unwanted behavior to happen.
- When PEOPLE VISIT, LUNA is in another room until VISITORS enter and are settled. When she comes out she is on leash and you are rewarding her with TREATS for calm behavior- especially as PEOPLE move around. Most of the TREATS should come from you so LUNA focuses on you and you can now ask her to do behaviors such as settle and SIT by your side.
- For now, strangers/PEOPLE who are not already LUNA’s FRIEND should not be allowed to approach and PET. This helps LUNA feel SAFE – overtime she may become COMFORTABLE. Going back to making things easy allows her to learn and for you to observe if she is really COMFORTABLE .
This is amazing! First the visit with the clicks and treats, then a paper all about me and, best of all, my humans click and give me treats every day. I must be the luckiest dog on the North Shore! In May I start a class called Basic Manners. Of course I’ll let you know how it goes.