Day 6 was a break day. The upside is that she had a good night in the kennel. She seems to finally be learning that the kennel is a safe place and a place for relaxing and sleep. On the downside, she just wasn’t “feeling it” about doing any kind of training. She was argumentative, she kept trying to use the dining room as a potty area [even after she’d been outside to do her business], she fought the leash almost constantly… It just wasn’t a great day for her.
Amber was acting out because she was bored. Wheatens get bored very quickly, which can make basic training a bit of a challenge. Constant repetition of their lessons can create frustration, which in turn will lead to acting out. So, I’ll be changing things a bit for Amber to encourage her to do the work, while at the same time, keeping her brain engaged.
Considering that Amber was essentially living the life of a “wild” dog before her forever family adopted her, she has come a very long way in a very short amount of time. She’s had to learn rules, boundaries, and limitations where before, she had none. For a dog who’s lived without those things for most of their life, the changes Amber has had to make are hard for her to adapt to and accept. It’s completely understandable that she’s going to have an off day or two every now and again.
Have a great day, everyone. Remember to stay calm and lead on.