Thursday, February 18, 2010

Training Ambrose

Next week will be the 1st anniversary of Ambrose coming to live with us and be my brother. I am not sure that this is something to celebrate as it has been the longest year of my life!

He is growing up and getting to be quite a handsome boy but he is still a handful.



Fortunately Barbara makes sure he gets a lot of exercise. I like it when he goes to Scout's house so the two of them can run around like crazy and get some of their energy out. He is a lot easier to deal with if he has had enough exercise.



Of course Barbara keeps trying to train Ambrose. I have always felt that was an impossible dream but lately there are some glimmers of hope. We won't mention that he chased some deer earlier this week or that this morning he pulled Barbara down on the patio.

Ambrose is finally learning to settle on his mat.



We both have bath mats that we lie on as our special place. Barbara can take the mats with us when we go places so we can settle on them. Well, I can settle on mine because I am practically perfect. Ambrose is such a busy guy that this has been very difficult for him to do. But he is finally figuring out that he will get nice rewards the longer he lies down on his mat.



Now this may not seem like much, but what you don't see in this photo are the 5 other dogs in the class. That is very distracting for him as he is all about playing with other dogs. Ambrose is trying hard and maybe in another 7 years or so he will be trained.

16 comments:

Samantha ~ Holly and Zac ~ said...

Well we think Ambrose is doing very well, we find it is always harder to behave well with fun distractions going on. hehe

Wow, has it nearly been a year since he became your brother. Where does the time go. :)

Anonymous said...

My my how time does fly!

Maisie & Loghan said...

We can't believe that has been almost a year!

BRUTUS said...

Hey! I have a mat too!! Mine is grey, and I used it in my puppy classes like you do! Hang in there Ambrose, if I can master it (I now do 5 minute sit or down stays while mom eats a sandwich or bounces a tennis ball in front of me) so can you!!

Obedient Snorts-
Brutus the Frenchie

Dexter said...

Oh that seems like a lot for sure. PeeWee has a mat and he will stand on it, but not simmer down. Stupid momma has been training us both with the same mat. Duh. Thanks to your post she said I could have my own.

Slobbers,
Mango

Unknown said...

Listen to you Niamh, the longest year of your life. Ambrose's feelings might get hurt if he reads this. As for the bath mats, dude, you ruined my life. M saw this and thought it was such a lovely idea. To be continued, thanks a bunch...
Twink!

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

Ambrose does look a little bit sweet in that last photo, Niamh... We hope the glimmer of hope turns into reality sooner rather than later!

By the way, last Monday, we were finally able to post a photo that would have perhaps qualified in the Train Your Dog contest you organised. We didn't have any at the time so couldn't enter, which we were sad about.

Woofs,
Tommy

Fred said...

You are very patient with him! And good job, Ambrose!

Dog Foster Mom said...

Wow, Ambrose is doing very well to stay on his mat with all the distractions of a class going on around him! Good job Ambrose!

Nuthatch... said...

Why would you ever want to lie down when you can run and play? Some of us are just not destinedto grow up lol

Heather & the Nuthatch Gang

D.K. Wall said...

We think a pup being a handful is quite a furry good compliment. Just saying - grins.

Lorenza said...

Time flies, Niamh!
Sure Ambrose is doing well with the training. It has been taking time but Barbara and you are doing a pawesome job with him!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

Ya Ambrose is doing well. Sure glad he has figured out the mat thing. Callie would be carrying it all over the house. She is almost 2 and still hasn't slowed down so you are truly lucky...

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

Agatha and Archie said...

Oh man I am still chickling over this.. A WHOLE YEAR??? Geesh.....I gotta hand it to ya.... As for the mat thing? I think really it is becasue he is a boy...I have a picture of Archie on his bed BUT IT IS UPSIDE DOWN....I know..it is very very hard to be perfect..Love Aggie oh yeah and ARch

the magic sleigh said...

Wooos! I am nine and I am still trying to train my Mum, keep at it it is fun! Woo are just a puppy still woo will learn...
~Husky Kisses~
-Kira The BeaWootiful

Unknown said...

Oh Niamh - I think you're being hard on Ambrose as usual! 7 years? Oh, surely not! I'm sure he could learn it in like - maybe, 5? Ha! ha! :-)

Seriously, that is a great exercise to learn. I have learnt the same thing too, although my human calls it "Bed" and it means that I must go and lie on whatever she is pointing at and not get up until I hear my release word. I don't have a special mat - Hsin-Yi bascially uses anything she can carry around with me, like my car blanket or sometimes my futon bed, which I took to doggie dancing camp. It's hard to find somethign that will cushion me enough and be big enough for me to lie on but still be small/light enough for Hsin-Yi to carry! :-) At home, that same "bed" command can also mean my beanbag bed, which I sometimes have to go on if we have visitors who are scared of or don't like dogs.

Anyway, I think AMbrose looks so sweet lying on his mat and I think he's doing awfully well already!

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane