Keep on keeping on Angel

Angel,

Good to hear back from you.  Make sure that Gir is sitting with his butt on the ground as a small, smart dog (like Gir) can easily do a "hover" sit where their butt isn't fully on the ground.

To do the Sit/Stays and make the # of Sit/Stays you are striving for, do a Sit/Stay (@ 3' & 6' you are doing Return to your Dog so correct him if he moves at all), then do an Exercise Finish, & either do another Sit/Stay or heel him around & do a Sit/Stay.  The more random you are in when you do a Sit/Stay, the more Gir has to focus on you and having emotional & physical self control. 

As your Instructor, it is critical for Gir to learn this week a Sit/Stay means a Sit/Stay.  I'm not so concerned with you starting over with his time as I am that Gir learn you are requiring him to learn the Sit/Stay means Sit/Stay.

How goes the "Using praise as a way to teach emotional self control" with Gir?  This week and the hundreds of Sit/Stays is a perfect time to add that exercise so Gir will learn you are serious about him leaning self control this week.  The Sit for Exam also is testing his understanding of Sit/Stay this week so ask strangers to do the exam. 

This week you are doing a dog training technique called "flooding".  The high amount of Sit/Stays, the time you spend heeling Gir, teaching the Active Sit (how is that going as he needs that this week?), having strangers do the Sit for Exam. and do the "Using praise to teach self control" is a sensory overload for Gir.  I am deliberately having you "flood" him, via the training, to solidify your leadership.  Doing the Sit/Stays in locations with high levels of stimuli are excellent and add to his education this week.

You do have a long road to go with Gir, but the intensity of this week will go a long way to helping him to succeed in having physical & emotional self control.

Atta boy, Angel:). 

Roxanne