As I think everybody knows by now, Elton goes hand in hand with overenthusiasm and over excitement! After Solei it’s so refreshing and so wonderful to have a dog that enjoys it so much I’m wary of discipling him for it when it’s not appropriate (even by ignoring..etc), for fear of losing the wonderful enthusiasm for everything that is Elton!

However, about 3 weeks ago I decided enough was enough 😉 It was escalating to the point when he knew a retrieve was coming he would stand wagging his tail and barking at me, bark as he came into position beside me (which wasn’t a great position because of that!), not be able to hold a sit stay whilst I threw it (stood up), whine and/or bark until I released him and then make noises until he had the dumbbell in his mouth and couldn’t!

So we’ve been working on impulse control in those extra exciting situations! I got a good sit/wait quite quickly by telling him to sit if he stood up, then going to pick the dumbbell up myself and recommanding before I threw it – if he stood up, I did the same thing again. If his bum stayed on the floor he was allowed to go and get it!

And then my biggest fear came true – he was doing beautiful retrieves for a couple of days (still not sitting with it in his mouth – though he did do it once! – but the duration of his hold was increasing and he would lie down (on command) and keep hold of it) and then he decided he was bored. He lost the excitement and enthusiasm and wouldn’t pick it up. If he did deign to, he would bring it a couple of steps, spit it out and then come back to me!

Deep breath, don’t panic…obviously now I’ve spoilt his “game” it’s boring. So the dumbbell is now away for a couple of weeks, and I have my fingers incredibly tightly crossed that a break from it will do the trick and I’ll be able to get the enthusiasm and excitement back, whilst keeping the self control he’s learnt.

All the obedience has gone a bit pear shaped really….I have the most gorgeous heelwork with the manual chair, but I’m not at all happy about the power chair, which of course is the chair I have to use. I can’t decide how close he should work and I can’t see him properly. I love the way he feels in the manual chair. I feel amazing when I’m working with him and it’s all just so much fun….swapping to the powered I just don’t feel as connected, more stressed, less in control and just not as fun. I expect (hope) it’ll get better and I don’t doubt he’s capable, it just frustrated/upset me to feel the way I did, I really wasn’t expecting it to be so different. I’m usually ok, but that was one of those moments where I was cursing how much harder the way I am makes everything!

On top of that I took him to obedience for the first time in ages last night (it’s been closed cos a pipe burst and they had to relay the floor) and he was like I’ve never seen him before. He was actually scared of the chair, didn’t want to come near it and was just not enjoying it at all….which is so not Elton. As I say, I’ve never, ever seen him remotely like that.

And this is before I (and they) have to get used to a new chair!!