It has become quite clear that no trainer - aside from basic trainers - are willing to work with us. I am going to put that all on them. Abby isn't the smartest dog in the class - ok, she is too freaky to actually take a class - but she is catching on to things quite quickly. Although I have to wonder if she is really catching on quickly or if I just expect so little from her that any behavior is amazing and profound.
Abby has finally learned to sit. It only took an entire year and three training sessions. I originally thought that "sit" was one of the last things that I would teach Abby, but after a bit of thought it became quite easy to teach. I am not sure why it took me so long to think of it, especially because this was the way I taught my other two how to sit. . .and down. I used a very simple piece of equipment: a sofa. Aside from the fact that I already trained two other small dogs how to do the behavior using one, there are also found free on almost every street corner in Oakland! I can't believe I didn't think about it sooner!
What surprised me most about Abby isn't that she learned how to sit, but that she will now sit ANYWHERE in the house. Once she understood what I wanted, she was willing to do it on the couch, on the floor, in the kitchen, in front of the washer...Abby has a tendency to be singularly focused in general, and she has managed to transfer that single focus into "training". Granted, we are training in a quiet, comfortable, familiar environment; but I still got her to sit in front of a jump then cross the jump to touch my hand. I couldn't be prouder of my little nut job of a dog.
In other dog news: Topper (yes, he is still here) is learning a spin. Mole is doing some down stays. Pocket is doing touch. It is very basic for pocket, but after her attack she is terrified of anything new. Even old tricks, like spin and bow, are completely out of the question for her. I think that we will eventually get back there, but I think that it will be a long road...
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