Tim/Molly, Post #5678
Tim it has been such fun to watch you and Molly these last few weeks.
Molly shows amazing energy that just won’t quit. Molly has accomplished everything we could hope for through the Introduction to Truffle Hunting course. You should be very proud of yourself as well! As I’m sure you noticed, the hardest part of training is training yourself to follow the guidelines and lesson plans with the ability to modify them toward your dog. You did a great job of observing Molly, applying advice for certain situations such as the ball, and repeating until you had an alert both of you can use and understand.
Use the time between classes to continue shaping Molly’s alert. Remember to collect the target before offering the ball as a reward.
With River I still find it hard to stay on our routine, especially when in the field and finding TRUFFLES! But, nothing will benefit you and Molly more than practice and consistency. Make a habit of picking up the target (I then make sure to stand up), then remove the reward from your pocket/backpack and reward Molly.
Just keep up the great work you are doing and it will all fall into place. Developing a Reliable Truffle Dog Team (level 2) will continue to help you improve on the lessons you and Molly are practicing while also preparing you for team work in the field. Registration begins August 9th and we look forward to continuing training with you and Molly. Great work!