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A week of mixed emotions revealed meaningful progress for Nakina, including a breakthrough in CGC separation training and continued growth in challenging environments.

🐾 Ups and Down

This week felt like a lot in the moment, but looking back, it was more about small, meaningful progress — and a reminder that growth doesn’t always show up the way we expect.

Training

We didn’t practice Emergency Stop or Hand Targeting this week, so those will be a priority as we move forward.

We had another private lesson with Nakina’s CGC trainer, where we focused heavily on the separation exercise. We may have found a way to clearly cue to her that the separation is temporary and safe, which could be an important breakthrough.

Nakina did well in Advanced Beginner this week. CGC class was held at a HomeGoods store, which created a very challenging environment. More than half the class was outside in excessive heat, making focus difficult. However, once inside, her work on the separation exercise showed clear improvement. It’s not perfect yet, but it is a significant step forward.

We also began a virtual AKC Fit Dog Level 1 course. It’s been fun to incorporate, and Nakina seems to really enjoy the exercises.

Socialization

Greetings with both people and other dogs are improving, although we still need to continue working on lowering her excitement level and reinforcing calm behavior.

We didn’t have an opportunity to work on the travel crate this week, so that will need to be reintroduced.

What's Next

• Down vs. settle — continue creating a clear distinction
• Stay — increase distance, duration, and distractions
• Recall — continue on leash in more distracting environments
• Travel Crate — zipping with no stress
• Grooming — begin grooming desensitization on the table
• Continue elevator desensitization

This week felt frustrating at times, but the reality is that Nakina is doing well and continuing to make steady progress. At just 6 months old, she is exactly where she should be.