I think this is my fourth Friday with Jeff and his training and today was another great day. I am feeling more and more confident in my ability to follow through with my dog and Frankie for the most part is responding as well as I expect him to based on my consistency and time I spend with him. 

Jeff had suggested a prong collar which I wasn't too sure about, but since I hired an expert, I decided to trust the recommendation knowing that Jeff would not put my dog or any dog for that matter in harms way. I actually placed my hand on the prongs and put my body weight onto it to see how much it hurt or made an indentation and it was really nothing at all. I have to say that I was and am pleasantly surprised at how effective it is and it makes training without treats or clickers so much more simplified. I have tried that route and was never very good at it and so this works for me (and Frankie too). For those of you out there who may be cringing at the idea of using a prong collar, i suggest that if you learn the correct way to use it, the proof will be in your new and improved dog. I myself have found it easy to compartmentalize the training times with its use, but I would go on Jeff's website or call him to make sure that you use it correctly. He corrected me a few times today when I was using it incorrectly. So today we worked on come, heal, down, sit and having Frankie come to a stop and lie down when I am walking him and I stop.

What I have really enjoyed is the new found confidence I have in my own ability, but like anything new, it takes patience and consistency and sometimes I am not that way at all. What I have also observed is the unbelievable lack of training in many of the other dogs I see and have to resist in saying something since that would be like commenting on kids bad behavior when i am out at the grocery store or a restaurant. Sometimes I think people will tolerate certain behaviors as I certainly will because sometimes it is just good enough for my dog. Even though Jeff tells me not to pick the dog up, I always will because i love the hug factor and Frankie seems to hug me back. I am probably hallucinating, but it feels like a hug and I won't give that feeling up. So little things like that are special and good enough as long as the major things are being worked on.

I have to say that it seemed pretty luxurious to hire a dog trainer, but on the other hand now that i am "in bed" with the training, it is definitely beyond my expectations and I am really going to miss my Friday mornings with Jeff when the training is done.

Perhaps I will need a second dog from the pound....