Our newest challenge is to keep Lady from hiding out in the Tunnels. I beg, and I plead, yet she stays in the Tunnel and whimpers. This dog - Oy Vey! The next game on July 14th, is labeled "Tunnel Fun", hmmm? I am considering pulling Lady from that competition and talked to Jubie about it. Jubie thought that if Lady continues to hide in the Tunnels it is creating bad habits. I completely agree. I am not sure she will make a 180 in two weeks. Generally, when there is a break to the Tunnels, I wait and she comes out. I praise her and give her a treat, but she will run for the tunnels again, the first chance she gets. We are creating quite a game, i.e bad habits.
How to fix a dog that is strong-willed and completely nuts? I got our training tunnel out and will place a target at the end. I want to get her to run through the tunnel, so the behavior is running and not hiding out in Tunnels. Unfortunately, our Tunnel is 6 feet long, but I am trying everything. Additionally, we haven't been doing any training these past few months unless it is at the gym. I am changing that and we are hitting the training hard at home, so that we can make Agility fun again AND training at the gym.
I know a large part of the behavior (99.9) is me and it is hard not to be frustrated by the passive/aggressive behavior of my dog, but if I am training just as much at home where I am not thinking dollar signs for every minute the dog wastes (just being honest), the fun will come back and perhaps Lady's behavior will change. I am sure it will not change over night, but perhaps I will be training the frustration out of me as well. Then I can bring that percentage down to 98.5!
I love that crazy dog and she is quite honestly the greatest dog I have ever had. I know she loves Agility or I wouldn't be subjecting her to it. Lady's Agility tutleage will be long-term and so will mine for that matter. We both need to take some chill pills.
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