Apache's focused training

Tonight it begins, Apache's new focused training!

I lost my way in his training for a while after feeling like we will never compete like I wanted to do with him. But now I found my way again and I will try to track his training as good as I can. I have focused a lot on his fears and I want to put my focus on something else for a while. Imitation training would be fun but I have other things in mind for now.

First I want to write down the things I want to work on.
¤ Leashwalking, walking next to me with sloped leash.
¤ Better retrieval of more and (to him) stranger things. Different shaped toys, plastic bottle, shoe, etc.
¤ Chin on lap.
¤ Stay off the couch unless invited. I tried this before but I gave up too soon.
¤ Focus.
¤ Attention.
¤ Relaxation/doing nothing.
¤ Sit/stay.
¤ Better down/stay.
¤ Making him more solid in staying despite distractions.

These are things I have intended to focus on but always procrastinated. I really need to work on his self control. I love his enthusiasm but I can't get anywhere if I can't tone him down to be more serious when we are working together and somewhere inside I still hope to compete in a few years. So, today's goal. We will start with strange retrieval just because it has been a little while since I worked him and he is usually pretty calm during this. After warming him up with this I will work on his focus and hopefully succeed in massaging him afterwards for the relaxation.

I will update this post after the training and sum up how it went.

* * * * * *

Time trained: 1 hour in which 20 minutes active training and 40 minutes relaxation.
Goal of the day: Fetch things he finds strange, focus, massage to relax.
Achieved: All three.
Notes: Fetched yellow and black rope/ball/football toy and a heavy ball, down/stay with eyecontact and distance, and massage and successful massage despite earlier fear/stress from Andy's noises.