Morty and Ollie

Hey there! This is a blog about my psychiatric SDiT, Mordecai, and myself going through the motions of life and training.

[mordecai-the-psdit]

I look like a dweeb but here's Morty practicing LPT in a high distraction area. He could have done better but it's still progress 👍

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Morty being a good boy at an outdoor store and outside of a Wendys. We were practicing 'leave it' and he's doing so well.

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Do any of my followers have a Vog mask? I have a question for you! A couple actually. -Have you noticed any significant changes with asthma or allergies? As in it actually helps -Does it make your breath warm? Weird question but I have sensitive lungs and it's getting really cold out here, which hurts to breathe a LOT, so I figured it could probably help with that too but I might just have to stay bandanaed.

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He's getting used to me motioning him into position without any sort of forming which has been a blessing. This is @ a Taco Bell where an employee behind the counter made kissy faces at him 😑.

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His eyes are begging me for his brothers food. We had to practice waiting our turn. (4months)

[brovgsd]

“Your dog is doing her best. She puts up with you and where you are in your training journey; work to give her the same benefit. If you find ways to focus on the process - where you have come from and where you are going - you will enjoy your dog a good deal more than if you focus on goals, some of which may not be realistic or attainable for your team at all. It’s not relevant what your friend’s dog is achieving; your friend does not have your dog, and your dog does not have her for a trainer. Your dog has you. You have him. And that’s just fine.”

Denise Fenzi ( So, you’re not the perfect trainer yet?  Still learning?  Then this quote is for you!  This one is from “Train the Dog”; (not released yet.)

)

Thank you!

(via coco-the-service-dog)

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Morty doing his first tuck in public while staying calm near a fountain (which make him a little nervous).

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Anxiety life be like: I need a bathroom buddy so I don't dissociate and freak out.

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He's a good pup. Loose leash walking is no biggie now and he's getting better at staying focused (the hotdogs help)

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Worked on little bugs fear of heights the other day! He dug climbing and grew to trust I wouldn't lead him down any bad paths. Tomorrow we go down to LA!

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Hes getting better at heeling!

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Mort and Ollie.

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Finished intake at disabilities services at the college yesterday. I’ll have proper testing accommodations, a place to go during melt downs and when Morty is ready I just need a note from a physician saying he’s there to help me manage a disability.

[summzdunn]

Mort got his Gentle Lead today! He also got a new bag of organic training treats to help with getting used to it. (Sorry for the messy background, I live in a bus)

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We sat outside a store last night while people rushed in and out. Morty got used to the sound of shopping carts quickly and stopped getting up after people walked by. He wouldn't go down when a little corgi walked by but he's a puppy so *shrugs*. He got up and whined a second and then stopped. 3 Months.

[mordecai-the-psdit]

It's not easy being the small dog.

[migrainepup]

Positive interruptors are the best. If you’re doing clicker trainer or force free training, it’s an essential tool for behavior management. Here’s how it goes: You say your word (something snappy, not their name), they stop whatever they’re doing to stare at you and run towards you and get a treat. It’s a good treat. Better than whatever they were doing. You start by just saying your made up word in a low distraction environment while the dog knows you have treats and if the dog looks at you, great, click and treat, if not, make some interesting noises with your mouth as a lure. He doesn’t even have to make eye contact, just look slightly towards you. Soon he’ll get to eye lock. Practice like that for a while until you get consistent eye contact, then you can build up distractions. A person looking away, a person looking at her, a person calling to her, a person making kissy noises and squatting, a person offering a treat, a treat sitting unattended on the ground, first far away, then closer, a toy sitting a cross the room, a moving toy, barking on a tv turned way down, then louder, then real barking Your dog can be distracted from all of these and more with one word that promises a treat. Use it instead of no, and reward your dog for stopping the bad behavior instead of just yelling. Use it to distract a panicked, barking dog. It’s my favorite thing I’ve ever taught a dog, and its essential for both my service dog in training and my reactive dog.