# A celebration of little steps



## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Sharon you should rejoice and give that girlie a big hug from us.. Way to go Towhee!
Titan says wooohooo! Go girl!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

gosh you got me all misty-eyed....what a darling girl. 
The little steps with some are oh-so-sweet...
Congratulations to you both...


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Towhee*

Thank God that you have Towhee!! I am sure she is so happy!!


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

A milestone like that can never ever be boring.

Congrats!

Love those waggy tails!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Not an ounce of boring in that! I am THRILLED she is losing her fear and gaining confidence!


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Congrats Sharon and Towhee. Sometimes the little successes out weigh the big ones. Of course with a challenging dog the big ones are larger. 

I am supposed to work on Teddi and a dumb bell. Not that she will EVER get to that level, but I want to train her to that level we just won't work on jumping. She can do all the other stuff. I am finding it a huge challenge. She does not want it in her mouth. I have a plastic one I am starting with. If she touches it, acknowledges it, anything I reward her. All of this is upbeat and happy. I have carefully (not forcefully) opened her mouth put it in, she will hold, pet her, praised her then ask her to give and give her a cookie. Still she is just not wanting to participate. I hope we get there too.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Thanks  

I so hope Teddi gets there! I use wooden dumbbells, then the metal and leather. I was using a dainty dumbbell with Towhee but this morning I was using Faelan's for all 3 dogs, and it is substantial, the heaviest I have ever used. 

With Towhee it has been a long process, but I am hopeful that we have climbed the hump and can progress more quickly - hopefully Teddi will be the same! Sometimes a process that takes forever to lay the ground work is really solid once understood.




Maxs Mom said:


> I am supposed to work on Teddi and a dumb bell. Not that she will EVER get to that level, but I want to train her to that level we just won't work on jumping. She can do all the other stuff. I am finding it a huge challenge. She does not want it in her mouth. I have a plastic one I am starting with. If she touches it, acknowledges it, anything I reward her. All of this is upbeat and happy. I have carefully (not forcefully) opened her mouth put it in, she will hold, pet her, praised her then ask her to give and give her a cookie. Still she is just not wanting to participate. I hope we get there too.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Congratulations you should be sharing!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Having spent some time with Towhee, I have to say she is a totally awesome dog, amazing to be around, and Sharon has done a fantastic job with her! Congratulations on your "little steps", and on the big ones, too.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

It's the little things that get us through life. And tail wags make life worth living! Way to go Ms. Towhee!


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Sometimes little steps are the best gift.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Congratulations!!! Sounds like a BIG step to me!!!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I think dogs overcoming their fears is some of the biggest victories they can give us. One of my proudest moments with Conner is when he went all the way out on his go out at a trial despite a bratty lab from the rally ring having escaped his owner to hang out right at that spot.

I remember both Annabel and Conner's first times to do a retrieve. I was on the phone with every person that had ever met them to share my excitement LOL.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Maxs Mom said:


> I am supposed to work on Teddi and a dumb bell. Not that she will EVER get to that level, but I want to train her to that level we just won't work on jumping. She can do all the other stuff. I am finding it a huge challenge. She does not want it in her mouth. I have a plastic one I am starting with. If she touches it, acknowledges it, anything I reward her. All of this is upbeat and happy. I have carefully (not forcefully) opened her mouth put it in, she will hold, pet her, praised her then ask her to give and give her a cookie. Still she is just not wanting to participate. I hope we get there too.


Is she food motivated? I taught all of my dogs to love to grab the dumbbell by holding a yummy treat against the dowel on the side opposite of the one facing them. The dog will first try to paw at it, lick around it, and other things to get at the treat, but if you can keep them interested long enough, then at some point the dowel will just happen to end up in their mouths as they are figuring out how to how to get to that treat. The instant the dowel is in the mouth, you use a finger that is holding on to the treat to push the treat over the dowel into the mouth as you take the dumbbell back. This not only gives a very positive association with grabbing the dumbbell, but it also allows you to reward while the dumbbell is actually in their mouths, instead of rewarding after the dumbbell has been taken back.

Once the dog understand to immediately grab the dowel to get to the treat, you can slowly start backing the treat farther and farther away from the dowel, until the food isn't in the picture at all. I do follow all of this up with a forced retrieve, but I find it to be a nice introduction for dogs to the dumbbell, especially for dogs who otherwise aren't interested in it.


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