Last night we had our third class for Rally 101 (we skipped week 2 because of the PSDP convention). It was a lot of fun! We did a lot of work on heel position, rear end movement, and motivating by tug and playing.
I brought Hestia’s rabbit tug for tug play, and she had a blast with it! Bit, the trainer, also brought some flirt poles (a toy at the end of a short whip), which Hestia LOVES! Brad got loads of great pictures of her running around getting the toys! It is very different playing tug with Hestia. When I had Sabrina the pit mix, I could tug as hard as I could, and she loved it. I could even pick her up off the ground with her holding onto the toy!
When playing tug with Ollie, I was able to be a bit softer than with Sabrina. But little Hestia is only 8 lbs and gets discouraged if I pull the toy out of her mouth too much. So I have to gently pull on the tug toy to keep her engaged.
Hestia did a great job, after we were done tugging, we sat calmly while other dogs tugged. Hestia was able to ignore the other dogs’ excitement and toys like a champ.
Hestia also had a lot of fun working with heel position. She often rears up on her back two feet to move her rear end into position against my legs. She also had a great time with the touch command. I would hold my hand up above her head and she would jump to touch it. She had a blast! Brad took lots of pictures, and here they are!
In all pictures, Veronica is wearing a brown and white dress with red sandals, and Hestia is a small black and white dog.
Close-up of Hestia panting.Hestia jumps to the left to catch a rabbit toy on the end of a flirt pole.Hestia pounces on flirt pole toyHestia springs forward!Hestia holds the toy between her front hands as a Collie looks on in the background.Hestia runs towards the toyCrazy Hestia leaps to get the rabbit tug, paws raised up on the sides of her faceHestia getting the toy, showing off the flowing lines of her fringey hair.Hestia pulling on the toyHestia grabs at the toy and missesA Westie looks upward, mouth slightly ajar and eyes calmly focused on the handler.The white Westie licks his nose.The Westie sticks out their tongue a tiny bit!Veronica smiles as Hestia jumps straight up to touch V’s hand, all paws off the ground.Veronica holds her hand about a foot above Hestia’s head.Hestia mid-jump straight up to touch V’s hand with her nose, with her paws all off the ground and her front paws up high near her face, as if to grab Veronica’s hand. Apparently, Hestia believes “touch” means to simply hurl her body toward the hand.Hestia jumping to touch V’s hand to the right of Veronica, as V bends like an emptying teapot.Veronica smiling down at HestiaA black Newfie looks admiringly to its handler, with no shortage of slobber.Newfie enjoying chin rubbies!Big dog, big tongue! The connection between a Newfie and mom who could love all that slobbery glory!A brown Boston wearing a green harness.The Boston looks up to their handler.A beautiful Collie pupSmall Border Collie looking at their handlerRottie in profile with a big tongue hanging out.Rottie looks at the cameraNewfie melts into the floorHestia working on rear end work, walking past and swinging around Veronica’s slightly upturned foot.Border Collie mix in heel position watching their handler.Border collie wearing a thunder shirtBorder Collie and handler almost touching nosesChocolate lab staring at a treat on the floorBit, the trainer, holds up a flirt poleHestia jumps around the flirt poleHestia chasing the toy on the flirt poleHestia dives into the ground after the flirt pole, her rear end and billowy tail flying up into the air.Hestia with three feet off the ground trying to get the toy, but it looks like the toy might be goosing her!
