My second attempt at making this first blog entry b/c I lost the whole thing the first time I tried to post it! ARGGH!
We adopted Matilda from the local shelter on April 23. She's a mixed breed of unknown parentage, perhaps Aussie/St Bernard? She's about 4 months old, 25 lbs, and well-endowed with sharp puppy teeth! Thank goodness she's now losing them, as of this week she's lost 3 incisors. I'm so glad to finally see that happening as she likes to use those teeth a bit too much for my liking.
We finished a 6-week basic obedience class last week, non-clicker based but taught by a CPDT. She was a champ at most of the behaviors (sit, down, stay, heel) but "leave it" and "drop it" just weren't developing well at all. I'm desperate to get those behaviors down b/c I'm really having a tough time getting Matilda to leave her mouth off of her people. I've got ripped pants and a daughter's torn dress in addition to countless scratches from her little nips. The girls (5 year old twins and a 7 year old) are doing their best not to encourage any chasing behaviors but to no avail.
Today I introduced the clicker to Matilda and worked on getting her to associate it with a treat. I decided to use novel treats, hoping that would get her attention and it seems to have worked. We did three short (5 minute) sessions of click and treat with no commands associated. I then got a little brave (hopefully not prematurely!) b/c she seemed to really be understanding it. I was walking around the yard with her following me at a perfect heel (without the command or hand signal) and she'd sit any time I'd stop walking, looking for the treat. I was wanting her to associate the click with the treat, not thinking that she got the treat for the sit, but couldn't get to her before she'd sit! So, I decided to work a tiny bit on the "drop it". It went well, for a change! I kept it very short (mainly because I ran out of treats, but also b/c I didn't want to work her too much on our first day).
When we came back into the house, she jumped up on the couch (a no-no, but something she hasn't caught on to yet) so I told her down and clicked/treated when she did (although I had to guide her with the treat, so maybe that didn't count??). A minute later, she jumped back up there to grab a book but she dropped it as soon as I said "drop"! Not just that, but she crossed the room to sit in front of me as soon as she heard the click--she made the association between click and good girl come get a cookie! 
That's my girl! We're done clicking for the day but I can see how this may be a huge help in our communication and training. Yippee!
Thanks, Emily!!!
