Barking at night

Yesterday was a frustrating repeat of nasty old habits: crazy barking at the door and gate, peewees in the house in spite of optimal treats on garden visits, alarm barking half the night...as a result, the morning walkies was up the spout and every bone in my body seems to ache...I admit I was too tired to implement training protocols for evening walkies when I came home...I have been consistent with treats for outside peewees and going often though, Ian Dunbar techniques, not quite so infallible as his reassuring persona suggests, but praying for success in the long haul. 

Ah yes the door. The more I interact with Sherlock there, the more I realize he gets jumpy with Claire and Nobu around, fearful they may get taken on walkies instead? Nobunaga seems to realize this and hangs back, while Claire will come and sit next to Sherlock, so I'm working on clicking and treating there for both dogs to get Sherlock used to body heat and potential jostle- this being Japan I need to sit my bum down and put on my own shoes there too. He needs to get just a little bit more patient with Mummy's itsy bitsy process: clip on poopy bag waist pouch, sit down, put on shoes, tie up laces, get the leashes, unravel them, clip collar on three dogs, reach for the doorkey...and then, once out the door, wait for other dogs to come out too...wait for Mummy to lock the door...before we go down the steps, wait on the landing, wait at the gate...OMG that was sooooooo hard, but I'm getting there. With a few reruns.

When I'm home and not distracted by work, I can also do the threesome clicker training sessions of down and touch, so that just like mealtimes where we have attained a modicum of silence save for a final joyful burst at the end, Sherlock realizes he'll have his turn and treats, just go ahead and try the down or the touch and not to worry. Nobunaga cozied up to Sherlock on the floor, head on his buttocks, good job, Nobu, you are something of a genius, knowing what to do. 

We've had three going out the door with mini-walkies sessions today already, every two hours, gets the peewees outside thing reinforced naturally too....although my Baker Street crazy likes to pee on top of Claire which is another issue I have yet to resolve...I'm so happy he's actually going peewees on a walkie, I don't want to stop the flow, as it were...
And next stop, alarm barking at night, at least four or five times. We've tried the throw treats thing, but he's dream tripping so hard he doesn't register. Back to internet research...this nighttime barking seems to be a biggie that has not been well addressed so far. I'm thinking I'm going to have to jump up too, go with Sherlock down the hall, praise him, say thank you and take him back to bed...I get woken up blurry-minded anyway, so I may as well jump on the wave and ride it out, rather than wishing it would go away and let me sleep...working with the triggers during the daytime doesn't seem to register...