You never know what you can do until you try

This past week was a milestone for me in training Cash. I managed to join two behavior chains into a one chain, that we will further extend to the Utility article exercise as we continue to work. Cash now brings me his metal food bowl, and holds it in his mouth as he tuck-sits into a nice Front position, and releases the bowl into my hand upon cue. Wow. 

This past year has been such an experience for me with Cash.  I had to find my own dog training to get what I wanted, and that has meant teaching myself how to teach him the way I wanted. It's been so much learning.  Cash would, without a doubt, be much further along in the hands of a more experienced trainer - or if I had used my familiar methods of luring - with him. But I've had this conviction that he is a dog who go further in the end if I would put a broad performance foundation on him using as much shaping as possible. And obviously to anyone who met him as a little puppy - I had to learn how to manage his drive and energy level and channel that into self-control, focus and good decision-making.  

I often remember Donna Doubler's words to me when I got ready to take the little fuzzball Cash home with me, "You're going to learn a lot together." Yep. That's what we're doing. I wouldn't trade Cash or this experience for all the tea in China.