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A breakthrough week for Nakina as she confidently performed the CGC separation exercise while continuing steady progress in public access training.
🐾 Great Progress
Despite dealing with a cold all week, I was able to train with Nakina every day, focusing on building consistency in public access work.
Training
We have three weeks of individual walks remaining to complete AKC Fit Dog Bronze, and Nakina continues to do well in AKC Novice Tricks.
We skipped Advanced Beginner again this week due to concerns about being contagious.
CGC class was held at Lowe’s, and this week marked a major milestone. Nakina performed the separation exercise perfectly, remaining calm and comfortable while I was out of sight. After the challenges we’ve worked through in this area, it was incredibly rewarding to see that level of confidence.
I will continue working with her at Bass Pro on a regular basis to reinforce this progress, as the consistency in that environment seems to be making a meaningful difference.
Socialization
We continued focusing on permission-based interactions. Nakina is very eager to greet people, but she is learning that interaction only happens when given a “Go Say Hi” cue. She is making steady progress in understanding this expectation.
What's Next
- Emergency Stop & Hand Targeting — creintroduce and build consistency
- 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 was a strong week of progress. The focus remains on continuing to build consistency in CGC skills, knowing that each step forward is helping Nakina become more confident and reliable in public settings.