Big Milestone!!!!

Tessa went through a tunnel today! It was scrunched up really small, but she actually went through it two or three times.

I expected her to be afraid of it because she tends to be afraid of small spaces. I let her watch Maddie go through it twice and then I put some chicken just inside of it. She ate the chicken. She did crouch down so the top was as far from her as possible, but she did not hesitate to stick her head in that thing and eat piece of chicken after piece of chicken! Finally I tossed a piece through and she went right through it!!

I know that the work we have done with the low jump and the hoop definitely helped with this. She knows this game - she goes over, under, or through to get the chicken. She didn't follow Maddie through, she was definitely chicken focused. But right now that's fine.

Next time I'm going to work with her on her own.

I also started working with her a bit to get her more comfortable with a food in hand lure. I borrowed a tactic from bridge and target and I used an intermediate bridge as she moved toward my hand and then I clicked when she got to the food. I know - an abomination of mixing methods - but if it works for Tessa, I'm doing it. It occurred to me yesterday that an intermediate bridge might help her and so far I'm liking what I see.

Off to do some CPE Agility now. Stephanie and I took Dean to do NADAC Hoopers last night and he had a blast! That is one fun game! Now it's Miss Maddie's turn!