Human Training Classes

Okay so we just got back from Human training classes - and lets face it, its not the dog that gets trained its us .... our dog Addy is doing really well - but then she is having the minimum of distractions since this is the second week in a row that she is the ONLY dog in class.

We had missed the first class and couldn't make it up, but at the second class we were able to meet one of the other people signed up - a dobie named Daisy and her female owner & her boy.
Daisy was only 9 months old, and acted just like a 9 month old dog.

Addy is 2 yrs old and so we tried to keep things a little more interesting for her -- silly us, we should have realized that the issue wasn't Addy being bored - it was our being bored doing stuff we had already taught her.

but one of the main reasons we wanted her there in a class was so she could get socialized and learn that she could still listen to us no matter how interesting the other people or dogs are ... an issue with her.

But with the other dogs not showing up (the other dog which we have not met is a dobie too) the socialization part is kind of falling to the wayside ... she does get some distractions from the cats that are in cages in the area where she works, and the people who squeak toys in the aisles (there was a lot of that tonight ... it really played iwth her mind) ... but its not the same as having dogs in the same area with her.

I think there is just two more classes .... next week is basic grooming and then the week after is graduation.

The instructor feels really bad because she feels like she is 'selling us short' since it isn't really a class -- but in reality it is probably selling her short because we are getting private lessons for free (since our son works at PetCo he got the lessons for free) ... I'm sure she would be earning a lot more than regular pay for private lessons.

But its nice to get Addy out of the house, its fun to work with Addy.

My issues? My issue is the same I always have ... its the one my oldest daughter has ... I'm a frickin' know it all. I have a hard time not instructing my husband when its his turn to train ... we trade off ... I have to keep reminding myself that (a) hubby doesn't have the time that I do to work with Addy during the day (b) Addy is NOT the first dog he has trained so he does know what he's doing (c) he did not train his other dogs the same way I trained mine ... and fianlly (d) any training that gets the dog to do what you want in OK, it doesn't have to be done 'my way' ... its a hard thing to remember - but I'm trying my best.

Its not obedience -- she doesn't have to sit straight, just sit. She doesn't have to stay perfectly still, just no move from the spot .... we don't have to use "wait" & "stay" in a specific way, just so long as it does what she is supposed to.

oh man its hard. But I will learn to do this -- I will simply shut-up.

My second problem is -- I love to talk. I've always been this way no matter how many people I speak to during the day I just yammer on an on ... as you can probably tell by how many posts I put out each day .... LOL .... I have a lot of thoughts buzzing around my head and I have just got this great need to share with everyone.

And yes - that is where my daughters get it from. My sons? they are quiet like my hubby.

Total number of blogs hubby has? 0
Total number of blogs I have? I've lost count.

yammer yammer yammer!!