Elsie and I are gearing up to tackle our CD (hopefully this summer). Neither of us have ever done this before, so it's a learning experience on both ends of the leash (or clicker, as the case may be). Most of the CD (also know as the AKC's Companion Dog title) is heeling, and Elsie and I both think heeling is boring.
On a whim, on Monday I decided to start teaching my sixteen month old dog to run next to the bicycle. Ignoring the (probably well informed) part of my brain telling me that the best way to do this would be to slowly introduce the bike to her over a series of days, clicking for comfortable behavior and building towards walking next to the scary noise-machine, I put her on her harness, grabbed my bike out of the garage and went around the neighborhood with her. There was brief moment of, "Aha, no," from Elsie, but I said, "Don't be silly, walk with me," which is her casual heeling command, and we took off. She was a little bit nervous at first, but after two laps around then neighborhood, she'd decided it was great fun.
We've gone for brief rides four times this week, and each time she's had more enthusiasm and less stress. Eventually I'd like to do some of the 10-15 mile rides in the area with her, but we're both working on getting into shape together.
The unforeseen benefit of the bike riding, for us, has been a sudden jump in her heeling skills while walking. She's a lot more enthusiastic and focused now than she used to be, and I'm very pleased.
The second benefit has been a dramatic decrease in her interest in wild-bike riders while we're out on walks. No longer are they some scary source of movement in the world that must be stopped--already they're now simply an interesting facet of the environment, to be observed calmly.
The third joy stemming from the bike rides is that they are tiring for her--both mentally and physically. It's a lot harder to heel at 12 miles an hour than it is at 2, I'd imagine. She's napping more and sleeping sounder.
On top of all the bike shenanigans, we've also been learning the command 'stand' this week. Currently, she thinks the word means to walk until her nose is even with my right knee and then stare hard at my hip. We're getting there, slowly but surely.
Elsie's sit-stays and down-stays are now at one minute and two minutes each, respectively.
Also, we're making great strides in the greeting-strangers arena. We've developed a command (go say hi) which means touch their palm with your nose and allow them to pet your ears. So far, it's successful.
