Lucky Training and Vet Visit 2/8/14

So I just took Lucky to the Vet to get his yearly shots, I added the one for Kennel Cough based on what happened.  I was actually really surprised by how Lucky behaved at the Vet's office.  Last time I took him, before he started training, he would bark at the other dogs and people and just cause a lot of problems.  Today he only barked once and that was very early when the vet was crowded and another large dog got too close.  It was half off shot day at my Vet and so there were tons of people and dogs there to get their shots and once he got settled he just sat or laid next to me.  He even sat in front of the lady sitting next to me and let her pet him, which amazed me because he rarely does that.

He is still scared of the Vet's office and the Vet, he didn't misbehave or anything but even when he was laying or sitting "relaxed" he was still shaking and hyper vigilante to noises.  The other good thing was he seemed nervous but okay with letting the vet examine his ears and his sore paw.  Last time he had a sore paw and the vet tried to look at it four people had to hold him down and even then they needed to have him come back and be sedated.  Granted the injury was more severe then, but still it was an improvement.  Lucky's ears needed cleaned and I guess were a little infected so he gave me a topical ointment for both is paw and to put in his ear to heal them up.  Depending on how long they've been bad maybe it explains some of his being bossy, I'm not sure.

As far as training goes it's still really difficult applying the more skill tasks at home.  Working on Time is something that is especially difficult and something I still haven't figured out.  We've tried to videotape but we're having technical issues with that, namely converting the videos from our phones to the computer.  The videos also don't really show any training.  They show us trying to engage Lucky in play to work on the Time concept and him just laying down and not being interested.  So really the only training I've managed to do is working on setting up boundaries (but even that is a little complicated by the fact that it's been too cold to walk him regularly so when he goes he's so excited that it's hard to make anything stick) and free shaping commands/tricks.  I'm just not sure how to work on some of the things since we don't have a fenced in yard and in the house he doesn't always want to play or run across the floor.  I've tried free shaping "come" but he likes to run up and sit or lay next to me instead of in front of me which isn't the command.  The one good thing is he will always come running in from outside, even if he's playing with the neighbor dog, if I open the door and call his name.  Sometimes just if I open the door and pat my leg.  Not sure why, or where or how he learned that but I'll take it.