We Survived

Whew, we survived!  Good thing I did not expect to be able to go to the fish club meeting after taking two puppies to Puppy Class.  I was wiped.  Came home & had a beer, walked Argus, played on the computer and went to bed.  And I was wrong in thinking this was Letty's last class - she has one more week, so I get to do it all over again.  Sparkle at 6:00 and Letty at 7:00.   Actually went better than I had expected, and the girls were very good when they had to take their turns in a crate.

Sparkle walked in a bit nervous but settled in quickly and enjoyed the class.  She made up to the trainers and some of the other dogs, quickly learned to do a Sit in the distracting environment and she mastered her Down as well.   Walking nicely on lead, not so much!  Like Letty, it will take more than a pocket full of treats to get her walking without pulling.  We were delighted to see that Letty's brother Herbie (Virgil/Marshmallow Face) was in Sparkle's class.  Herbie is very handsome now, but quite dog dependent as he has not been getting out on his own, but going everywhere with his Weimaraner & Dalmatian housemates.  This class will help him a lot.  Although it's easier to take dogs out together, that does them a disservice and they need to do things on their own.

Letty was such fun in her class!  I really enjoy working with Letty as she is so smart and enthusiastic.  Because she has such a reactive personality, we work a lot on the restraint exercises, Sit Stays and Down Stays.  It's helped her a great deal and she was distinctly calmer last night and did not have such a wild-eyed look after puppy playtime.  She actually came to me on both Recalls, rather than racing around the room trying to stir up the other pups.   She's also become a lot more confident about people leaning over her (that was her downfall as a little pup), and went up to a number of people on her own last night.  One classmate even had Letty doing Sits and Downs for her.  While we were standing around listening to our instructor, Letty generally sit quietly beside me, looking up at me, waiting to see what we were doing next.  Good Dog, Letty!

No word on whether we are still on for Puppy Camping in Canada.  If it's going to happen, we need Rabies vaccinations.   I put them off until my pups are 6 months old unless there is an actual need to get one sooner, and crossing the border will require a rabies vaccination.  Had planned to send Letty, but am thinking that Sparkle will get more out of it, since she will eventually be placed in a home as a companion AND show dog.  She's got a nice average sort of personality and would have a great time in a family with kids.  Was really pleased with how much she has picked up already.