I am Walter's Father: Day 3 - Why Training is Hard

1. Getting up at 05:00 or so. It just doesn't suit me.
2. Worrying about the tasty joggers.
3. Did I mention the 05:00? I can't remember through the haze of exhaustion.
4. Having to be a disciplinarian for the whole time.

We had a couple days off the training, Friday was day 3. Our next session with our trainer is Sunday afternoon. I'll have some more pictures up after that.

I Am Walter's Father: Day 2 - The Training Continues

I'm exhausted.

Walter and Hannah are strong willed, and don't really enjoy the whole 'training' thing - at least, not the way we've started. I think we need to focus on making it more fun for them. I'll ask our trainer for advice.

I'm going back to bed.

Metablogging: Email Subscription

I've added an email subscription box to my blog, so if you're desperate to hear about the happenings of my life you can get emails as well as an RSS feed.

 

Right, that's it.

I Am Walter's Father: Day 1 - The Training Begins

Training the dogs is just as much about training the people. It's hard to change our habits. For example, I don't enjoy getting up at 5am to go on the morning walk. Have to, though, since neither of us can train Hannah and Walter together - at least, not yet.
The hardest things for me have to do with the things I say, and when I say them. For example:

• Don't issue a command unless I can back it up;
• Don't overuse their names;
• Don't say "good dog" when they're just being dogs - say it when they do something specifically good.

Both of them are already getting better at not pulling, but that's not the big problem we need to address.
I had my first look at Walter's tasty-jogger attacks: he takes growling, snapping leaps at joggers, like they're prey. He's already 60 lb, and not getting weaker! That said, Walter hasn't got a chance to pull me off balance - unlike Kath* - so his leap ended mid-air with an ungainly flip and an embarrassing landing. (I had already moved him out of range of the jogger.) That's a behaviour that will change, and fast.
They're still pretty, though!
___
*Yes, you can read that two ways. Funny, that.

Waiting for Godot

1. I missed my streetcar.

2. The next streetcar arrived 15 minutes later.

3. The streetcar short - turned on the way downtown - a new one for me. I got out.

4. SEVEN streetcars passed me - going the wrong way - before one appeared going downtown. Not sure how that works, really.

5. Arrived at subway, dialled in to conference call from pay phone. (Did you know it's 50¢ a call now?!)

6. Finished call in record time. Still have 10 minutes before next meeting.

7. Got to subway platform just as northbound train left. Missed it.

8. THREE trains passed going south before one appeared going north. Not sure how that works, really.

9. Got to my second meeting just in time.

 

Well, at least there's always Walter to cheer me up.

 

Walter before his last haircut...

 

...and after.

Walking Ft. Lauterdale

Well, not a LONG walk.

I just had a fascinating lunch with some of the BAs I met last night
when I spoke at the IIBA South Florida Chapter event. Good
conversation and a good lunch.

The restaurant is a 10 minute walk from my hotel, and also a ten minute drive.

Yep. Between the lights and the U-turn and the traffic, I was able, on
foot, to cover the distance from the restaurant to the hotel in the
same time it took someone to drive me from the hotel to the
restaurant.

I had was afraid that I might have to fight them off - they looked
like they might try to force me into a car - but ever fleet of foot, I
eluded them and made my way back.

And now, back down to the pool.