Handling

Any dog needs to be comfortable being handled all over its body. Molly is already quite comfortable, but it can always be better. I wasn't feeling up to moving much today, so I thought it would be a good day to work on handling her more. Being able to handle paws, ears, and tail is also required for passing Level 2 of the Levels Book. Molly is already very good with all three, but her paws can use more attention to make clipping her claws easier.

I started out working with the clicker and treats, but the clicker seemed to excite her. Instead I put it aside and worked with quiet praise and treats. It went well and Molly got better at letting me handle her ears and paws more. Her tail wasn't very accessible in the position we were working, but I did train handling her stomach and around her private parts. That the is the one area where she really needs work and it is a problem if she gets a tick in that area or we need to check if she is coming in heat or something.

So that went well and we'll continue work another time. It is also soon time to clip her claws again because they are getting a little long. She isn't on hard surfaces or sand enough to maintain them naturally.