Ms Muddy Mossy Messy Macie's incredible breakthrough!!!

[hazelrunpack]

It's been 5 years (yes, 5 years ) in the making, but we finally managed to get Macie to sit on command today!

I know that doesn't sound like a milestone considering the time line, but she's our lost soul, our incredibly shy and soft little rescue who has never learned to sit on command before, despite our continued attempts with varied techniques.

It was a mention to someone else by Luckypenny that got us on the right road--try to capture it by rewarding every small step along the way. So when I'd give the signal for 'sit' and she so much as dipped her hind end, she got a reward

Today, I had hubby helping. I gave the command for 'sit' and couldn't tell if she'd dipped or not (she was on the hill and the angle was deceiving). So I looked up at hubby and asked him to watch for me, turned back to Macie and there she was!!!:



Considering we'd been trying for so long, I could't believe it. Mighta been a fluke, right?

So after her reward and praise, I got her to follow me around the yard, took her back up the hill, then repeated, "Macie, sit!"



Mommy is so proud!!!!!! Our little waif is finally, finally figuring this out!!!!

Good girl, Ms Macie!!

[hazelrunpack]

Yes, the rest of them were out training, too, and they'd be jealous if I didn't post their sit/stay pics, too.


Sheriff Cole and Amazing Grace


King Ember and Princess~Queen Cass


Princess Lil Belle

[14+kitties]

Awww good girl Macie!!!
You were really just trying to keep Mom in practice so she didn't forget how to give commands, right? Someone has to sacrifice.

[hazelrunpack]

Deputy Brier being a goof. He's proud cuz he's wearing an 'out in the woods' bell.
Makes him feel all growed up...which he's not!


Lady (in Waiting) Ridge looking incredibly pleased with herself on an extended stay.


And a shot of her pretty face.

[hazelrunpack]

And finally a couple of bad, but comprehensive, Pack pics.







Yes, that's the end.

[Macomom]

Hazel , congrats on Ms MMMMMMMMMM's amazing new step forward! Way to go! Your pups are all so pretty. I love their incredible faces and colouring.

[14+kitties]

Ooopps, sorry hazel. Guess I should have known better.
Loverly sits and stays and group shots all.

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Awww good girl Macie!!!
You were really just trying to keep Mom in practice so she didn't forget how to give commands, right? Someone has to sacrifice.

She does some other things, but she learned them by watching the other dogs--so she learned to stay by copying what the other dogs were doing. Same with 'back up' and 'paw'... But sit was always beyond her. Macie's response to requests she doesn't understand is to hang her head and get stiff-legged. I used to get that all the time when trying to train sit.

I finally trained 'Macie tall and proud' by holding a treat above her nose. Gets her head up and her eyes on my instead of closed or looking down. When she learned 'Macie tall and proud', we started on the sit again. Every butt dip or knee bend, she'd get the treat.

And then today!!!! WoooooHooooooo!!!!

What's sad, though...she knows how to sit if she doesn't think about it, of course. But when she hears the command, you can see the gears whirring and it seems actually physically challenging for her to do it when she's thinking about it

She's so backward from her start in life.

But what a victory for her today!

[hazelrunpack]

Thank you, ladies! The Hazel Run Mama is just soooooooo happy!

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Ooopps, sorry hazel. Guess I should have known better.

Yep, madame hazel would never allow us to get away with just one post of pics! No problem! If you go back and check, we fake people out all the time!

[breeze]

you sit soooo pretty Ms Macie!!!!

you did a wonderful job!!



besides mom a lot of people are soooo proud of you, way to go!!!!

[rainbow]

YAY for Ms Macie ....give that smart girl a cookie from me too.

Great pics of them all .... I love the group shots and that closeup shot of Ridge.

[chico2]

Awww Hazel,your dogs are all so beautiful,LOVE seeing pics of them
Miss Macie is just adorable and I am glad she did her mom proud
How old is your oldest pup,is your very first English Setter still with you

[babymomma]

Aww! What A GOOD girl!

I assume that wherever she came from they were probably using a less then nice technique to "train her".. Probably watched too much cesar millan.

Using harsh techniques on a setter is a HUGE no-no they are such soft dogs.

Just wondering though, If she shut down when you asked her to sit, then she probably asscoiated the que with something bad right? why not try a different word or signel? or did you? lol..

Your pack is beautiful , as always!

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by breeze

you sit soooo pretty Ms Macie!!!!

you did a wonderful job!!



besides mom a lot of people are soooo proud of you, way to go!!!!

, breeze!!! Ms Macie is glad to see you again! Long time no type!

Originally Posted by rainbow

YAY for Ms Macie ....give that smart girl a cookie from me too.

Great pics of them all .... I love the group shots and that closeup shot of Ridge.

Ridge thanks you...and Macie loved the cookie!! Actually, they all loved the cookies, cuz if Ms Macie was getting one, they all deserved one. What can hazel say? It's Pack Justice--all for one and one for all!

Thanks, chico!

Originally Posted by chico2

How old is your oldest pup,is your very first English Setter still with you

Our oldest setter now is Cass, who turned 8 last November. Our very first setter, Gauge, died in '98, I think it was, and Evan died in '01. So Cass was our third.

Originally Posted by babymomma

I assume that wherever she came from they were probably using a less then nice technique to "train her".. Probably watched too much cesar millan.

Using harsh techniques on a setter is a HUGE no-no they are such soft dogs.

Just wondering though, If she shut down when you asked her to sit, then she probably asscoiated the que with something bad right? why not try a different word or signel? or did you? lol..

Nope, Macie has never been subjected to too harsh training. Her problem is that for the first year of her life she was stuck in a barn and had no contact whatsoever with people--therefore no training. The shut-down, I think, is just overload. She doesn't know what you're asking, gets confused, and shuts down. She's very good at things she can do instinctively--you should see her point in the woods!! --but she's very introverted. And if she has to think about doing something, as opposed to actually just doing it because she wants to, you can see her brain working trying to figure out just exactly how to do that. It's fascinating to watch if it weren't just so incredibly sad.

We work with verbal and hand signals and it seems to help her to watch the other dogs in action. She's learned a lot of commands by watching them, but this is the first one she's learned on her own, without having a dog to either side that she can mimic.

I'm hoping this is a breakthrough for her!

[Love4himies]

Way to go Miss Macie . We love it when you make momma proud, cause we get to see pics of you and the beautiful pack

[breeze]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

I'm hoping this is a breakthrough for her!

It just might be
Ms. Macie just might surprise you.. I know I'm rooting for you Ms Macie with fingers crossed and hold a lucky four leaf clover

[hazelrunpack]

Thanks, L4H! We're all very proud of our little --celebrated with some extra cookies.

Originally Posted by breeze

It just might be

Maybe, but it turns out that "sit" does not translate as an indoor command! She won't do it inside the house...go figure

Absolutely no idea what's going on behind those purdy brown eyes....

[Frenchy]

She took her time but look at her now , she sits so well

I can't believe you got more pictures of them all together !!!

you're soooooooo lucky I don't have a big van .... and that I live so far away

[Tundra_Queen]

hazel...that is so wonderful!!! YEAH MACIE!! You made Mommie's day!!!

hazel...do u give her a cookie when she does the trick?

[otter]

Wooooooo Hoooooooooo

So that means the pack is one step closer to all sitting up and waving as I drive by cheering...... right Guess Nolie and I better start packin' our bags for a trip down there

Way to go Ms Macie

... I guess having pictures of the whole pack is a common thing now I thought that was a feat to be celebrated as well I find it hard to keep one doggy in the view finder, I can't imagine getting eight together to all say "cheese" at the same time

and Nolie has finally forgiven me for making her wear an "out in the woods" bell, she thinks if it's OK for the pack, than it must be OK for her too. She's gonna tell all her doggy friends that been making fun of her for wearing a bell that she's cause if the Hazel run pack do it than it must be very

[krdahmer]

Way to go Ms Macie!!! sittin so purdy!

And wow....those are some great group shots of the pack!

[hazelrunpack]

Thanks, kr!

Originally Posted by Frenchy

you're soooooooo lucky I don't have a big van .... and that I live so far away

It would have to be a very large van--they have lots of luggage! The each have their own dog bed and dinner dishes.

Originally Posted by Tundra_Queen

hazel...do u give her a cookie when she does the trick?

Cookies, lovin's, rubbin's and big kissies, too!

Originally Posted by otter

So that means the pack is one step closer to all sitting up and waving as I drive by cheering...... right. Guess Nolie and I better start packin' our bags for a trip down there

Yep, we're one 'sit' closer! The first of about a kazillion steps

... I guess having pictures of the whole pack is a common thing now I thought that was a feat to be celebrated as well I find it hard to keep one doggy in the view finder, I can't imagine getting eight together to all say "cheese" at the same time

It's the power of cookies.

and Nolie has finally forgiven me for making her wear an "out in the woods" bell, she thinks if it's OK for the pack, than it must be OK for her too. She's gonna tell all her doggy friends that been making fun of her for wearing a bell that she's cause if the Hazel run pack do it than it must be very

It is tres !! All the most Dignified Canines wear them! Nolie is among the elite!

[growler~GateKeeper]

Way to go Macie!!

[hazelrunpack]

Thanks, Auntie Growler. Now we get to start all over and maybe in another 5 years she'll be sitting on command in the house, too!



Oh, well. She's sweet, and that's all that really matters

[Melinda]

yay yay horray!! *L* I just love the pack pics!

[hazelrunpack]

My goal this summer is to get them all sitting pretty in a row...waving at traffic (cuz then otter and Nolie are gonna come for a drive-by!).
It's one of those 'don't hold your breath' projects hazel tackles now and then. But at least there should be more Pack pics that come out of the attempt.

[JennieV]

Awwwww Ms Macie!!!!

GREAT JOB!!!

And the rest are just beautiful!!

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

My goal this summer is to get them all sitting pretty in a row...waving at traffic (cuz then otter and Nolie are gonna come for a drive-by!).
It's one of those 'don't hold your breath' projects hazel tackles now and then. But at least there should be more Pack pics that come out of the attempt.

Nothing is impossible if you try hard enough

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

Nothing is impossible if you try hard enough

And it may only take another 5 years!

[Dee-O-Gee]

Ahhh...you must be SOOO proud of her progress Hazel (and hubby too!)

Congradulation Ms MMMM for a job well done!