The good the bad and the ugle

It all went to hell this morning and I stayed operant the whole time :).

I decided to go out in the backyard this morning.  I just added recall in the backyard to my goals, I have very little recall in the backyard maybe 50%, I don't really go out in the backyard and work so his major history in the backyard is ignoring me and having a good time with the other dogs.  So I have in the last week been going in the backyard on leash staying on the deck and tugging and doing recalls.  I figured I could step out the door and do a recall and he would listen.  Ha ha foolish me he never even flicked an ear and there I stood like a pinhead.  I also realize that I get so mad when he does something wrong not because he is wrong but because I put both of us in a situation where he would fail.  I am not upset with his failure but mine.  I maintained calm this morning tried walking back into the garage he ran around the yard had a couple of pees and a poo glanced at the door once in a while maybe he could see me maybe not but never even though of coming back.  Since he has spent hours in the backyard amusing himself on his own and he hasn't had a whole lot of exercise this week I wasn't going to wait him out.

I walked towards him he was pooping, I waited until he was done and called and he came right to me.  I put him on leash and we walked back to the deck and played some tug.  I walked around a bit letting him get distracted he was all over me.  So I took the leash off to see what would happen.  Tug tug tug and he takes off to have a pee in the yard.  Got him back smacked him around some, have been rewarding that and he really likes it now.  Released him out let him go a few steps and called worked great for a few minutes and I started increasing his distance.  Then he found a big piece of wood and it was all over he went into keep away mode.  Which brings us back to another goal don't play keep away with the damn piece of wood.  I went in the house he came with me, I grabbed some treats and went out to play drop it with the wood.  He did great and I so should have done this ages ago.  We then did RZ by the piece of wood.

I decided enough tempting fate and we came in.  He needs a run I will give him one this afternoon when Logan goes down for a nap.