Sonia cum Laude

Sonia took two big steps forward on our morning walk around the driveway today.  And both of them were sitting.

Fiorella has been working with Doggie for a couple of months in regard to people, other dogs, and cars.  Sonia has always been welcoming of people who visit, and she got along well with Son's pug, whom she grew up with, but cars were another matter.  In fact, she broke leash and ran after them, whether because they were metal monstrosities invading her territory or she wanted to ride in them, we didn't know.  What we did know was that it was dangerous and we didn't want her to end up as just another dead dog on a country road.  

Fiorella's training tactic was bribery--treats.  Whenever she heard a car approaching, even while Sonia was a fair distance from the the road, she instructed Doggie to sit, immediately rewarded her, and kept stuffing treat down her till the sound  passed.  The closer Sonia got to the road, the harder it was to distract her, but Fio kept going and today was the big break-through--she got Sonia to stay seated while a car sped past her on the road! And to top it off, later, when Sonia heard the sound of a vehicle passing on the road while Fio had her halfway down the driveway, she looked up at Mommy expectantly and sat down on her own.

Then she burped.