Maggi visited Gran, which she loves as she gets lots of nice treats🤣 she takes treats so carefully and acts very polite, a visitor did turn up, Maggi did bark on entrance, by settled behold a chair when the visitor stayed for a short time. 🤣

Cat 3 tropical cyclone is heading this way so we are all on lockdown for at least 24h. Quick Gunoil search for the old boy to make sure he’s still enriched and happy. Need to work on him trying to eat the hide and the little look at me but at the same time we are doing it for fun. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUhIcrnDNfj/?igsh=MTVjbmdnMGRyZ3A4MA==

I'm using leash pressure to have Aster increase duration looking at me when heeling. I'm not sure if this is a good approach but she has a habit of glancing at me then basically street heeling unless I'm luring with something she wants. I feel like it's an exercise she is capable of doing physically and mentally so I'm using more negative reinforcement now to say "come on, longer now and THEN you can get a reward" rather than being stuck in luring phase forever. It's experimenting really. She did do well but struggles with all the squirrels around🙄😂

Two opportunities today to practise our "look at me" training for reactivity whilst on a local walk this morning. Aster was just on a flexi and I was nonchalantly leaving a voice note for a friend when we rounded the corner and Aster exploded into her long-dog howling bark at a lady with her very old and completely harmless golden retriever Luna. I quickly interrupted with leash pressure and we spent some time having her focus on me, look at luna, then look back at me etc. She was great and Luna's owner was so helpful just staying quietly at the side of the road whilst we worked. Then we met her again on the way back so i put Aster in a sit front whilst Luna passed us and she was great! Then we met another tied up dog down the road that goes nuts when we pass normally Aster looks to run at it barking but i interrupted very quickly and we did some focussed heel past it. Really pleased with that!

Haven't posted for a bit as ive been in Paris for a couple days for work. I know!! Jammy bi-hatch aren't I. I got yesterday afternoon to do some sight seeing which was great fun. Had the best hot chocolate I've ever had too😂 Before we went we had another play session and have also had one since coming back. I'm just really not getting anywhere with training at the moment if I'm honest. I don't think Aster is enjoying any of it. I'm going to just park it for a while I think. Just feel like every session ends on a negative note and it's killing our motivation. Agility is being cancelled week after week too with this shitty weather and I don't even know what it is I want to achieve. I'm being a right negative nelly aren't I! Boo friggin' hoo. What do you guys all do when you're fed up? I forgot the explain the dead rabbit bit....Aster caught one on a ride today. It was a massive one and she carried it 2.5 miles home, mad buggar. She'll be sore tomorrow I expect but was a cheap dinner for her!