Daisy: 10 Days

We’re halfway into Week 2 of little Daisy’s training regime, and while there have been some unexpected wrinkles, Daisy has had a lot of successes, too. Here’s where we’re at 10 days in.

Potty training/housebreaking: complete.
Leash manners: significant improvement since changing her harness to a lighter, more effective gear.
General reactivity: still ongoing, but slowly diminishing through controlled distance exposure.
Bedtime routine: set and steady.
Cat reactivity: changed from constant, to hit and miss. Slow but steady will win the race.
Trust-building: dramatic improvement. Daisy is looking to me for direction, seeking affection from me, trying to follow my lead more often in tense situations [e.g. when Violet is in sight].
Greetings: still barking and lunging, but duration is decreasing as she learns to use her nose first.
Interactions with Glimmer: excellent. Responsive to Glimmer’s cues, respects boundaries and space, has started trying to mimick Glimmer during focused basics training exercises.
Treats: continues to refuse any and all food rewards. Only takes food at meal times. Prefers vocal praise and touch [pets] for rewards.
Play: still refuses to engage even when Glimmer brings her a toy and drops it in front of her or offers a play bow.
On the walk: still pulling, but not as hard, starting to correct herself when she feels tension on the leash.

Due to the ongoing issues with her general reactivity, Daisy has not yet been worked around the car since she got car sick a few days ago after what I later learned was her very first visit to a pet store. However, I plan to start that process tomorrow. Today will be a “lazy” day as my husband is home for a few hours and things are a bit chaotic. Because she is so reactive to and nervous about everything, I try to keep her under her threshold as much as possible in order to help her build confidence. It sounds counter-intuitive – I know. But Daisy has shown me that this works for her, so that’s what we’re doing.

Overall, while there have been unexpected wrinkles cropping up, Daisy has been making good progress. I’m pleased that I’ve finally achieved a breakthrough with her, that she’s finally starting to trust me.

Have a great day, and remember to stay calm and lead on.