A Bit About Training

I’m 13 weeks old now (plus two days - those make a difference of course). I’ve had my jabs, I’m allowed to walk, and go on nice long walks. And then there’s the training.

Early on Saturday mornings, when the rest of the world has the sense to sleep in, my Pack-Family bundle me into the car, and drive for 40 minutes to then spend another 40 or so in a concrete hall, where somebody with red hair talks a lot to them, and I get to run around and do a bit of practice of what I can do already. Last week, I was the star of the class, as I could “stay” the longest. Actually, I was tired by then, but won’t admit it. I also badly needed a wee.

Class is fun, fun, fun! There are lots of hyper dogs there, most of them much smaller than me. I’ve stood on a miniature poodle before, without knowing it. He’s a little timid, though. We have a mat to sit on, and some A-grade treats - most of which I don’t comply with, of course.

Training also takes place every night (and on my walks during the day with PackMum) in the living room. Or so they think. I’m just after the treats, really. They click, I eat. Simple. Here’s some of the things we do -

Lap Dancing

Yeah, not sure why - but my PackFamily are meant to pick me up, and hug me. They then inspect my paws, eyes and teeth, and hug me a little too tight when I wiggle. Both PackDad and PackMum say I’m getting too big now for all of this lap dancing, so I’m not sure how long my hugs are going to go on.  

No smart comments about how I look like an old man sitting there like that, right?! That’s my PackDad, anyway…ruff! 

Sit, Down, Up Again, Do a Little Dance, Get Down Tonight

They don’t click me much anymore on this, so because I’m not getting my food, I’m starting to rebel and make sure they know their places here. You want sit - then you darn well click!

Stay - On Your Mat

We have this mat, you see. Somehow, it’s colour co-ordinated with my doggy bed, and bigger mat, but my PackMum says this is pure coincidence. I’m not so sure. It’s getting too small for me, but I’m meant to sit and stay on it. And Mostly, I’m meant to settle on it, but there are much more interesting things to sniff out in the living room than staying on a too small mat, anyway. So, I stay there for a little while, long enough to get a click out of it, anyway - unless someone walks out of the room - which is my chance to scratch and sniff.

Grooming

Yep, not so keen on this one, but I do get clicked on this. I’m darned if I’ll have my chin  combed, though.

Recall

How can it be re-call, by the way? Re is doing it again, isn’t it? That would signafy I’ve done it in the first place, which is debatable, and dependent on what’s in it for me. If I’m about to be locked up, then forget it. If I’ve got a more interesting thing I’m chewing (I can reach quite a few higher-up shelves now, I’ve found…) then forget it. If I’m out in that doggy field and running with a real doggy pack, then forget that too. 

Walking

I’m not meant to pull, which seems a bit frustrating. Sometimes it takes me a while to work out that I’m not going anywhere, and sometimes I’m quite good at getting my PackFamily to walk with me to where I’m heading.  We do go to very cool places. Last week I ended up walking through a big field which had white wooly things in it. They didn’t seem much interested in me, and admittedly, I found more interest in the lovely smell of other doggy pooh to roll in at the time. And of course, there’s the lake - I know my own way there now. And the doggy field, where I get to meet all the locals.