Dog Class - Take 3

[Krislady]

Yesterday we started our Advanced Class - again.

Basically, it was the same stuff we've been doing, except one thing - there was evidently some sort of glitch in the online scheduling system, and there were TWELVE dogs there.

It's supposed to cut off at 8.

That's 150% of the maximum class size. That is WAY too much.

There were a few famliar faces - the lady with the cute little black dog, and the white-faced staring golden. Oh, and one of the puppies from our very first basic class was there - all grown up!

Plus there were a couple of labs, an overly exuberant Dalmation, and a pair of obnoxious Boston terriers. Oh, and this adorable keeshond who is, I think, kind of a troublemaker. He took a dislike to Jar, and Jar returned the sentiment.

First thing they did was split the class in half - starting next week, we're going at 9 instead of noon, which is AWESOME. Less awesome is the fact the obnoxious Boston terriers are also in the 9:00 class. Oh well.

With SO MANY dogs in the room, Jar and I mostly hung in the doorway - and he was a perfect gentleman. We did join the festivities at one point - we were heeling around the room, when suddenly that dalmation came to a dead stop, did the turn around and squat thing and took a giant dump in the middle of the floor. I guess someone didn't get his morning walk.

Everyone had to wait while the mess got cleaned up, then we moved on to down, then hand signal for sit.

There we were, trapped in the far corner of a very crowded room, and I was bumping into people when I tried to move away from Jar so he could get down, and I was a wreck! He was pretty tense, too, though he did keep it together very well.

There were too many dogs there, and too many of them brought spectators, and it was probably the most difficult experience we've had - it was just as hard on Jar as that party we went to a few weeks ago. But still, he was a champ, and that's a good thing.

So he got a bone when we got home, then he dragged himself upstairs for a nice quiet nap.

[Saralaya]

Wow... despite the screw up it sounds as though you and Jar did SO well! Perhaps Jar will just teach those two obnoxious dogs how to behave! WTG and I hope it gets better every week.

[Connie Lea]

Good boy Jar - Kris you and Jar could teach the class.

[K9 Owned]

It sounds as though he was very composed given the circumstances. GOOD BOY JARLY!
That many dogs is just nuts! Not only would no-one get the attention that they are paying for and the opportunity to practice in class but it's a formula for a fight.

I've been in a similar situation with a large, long dog and we barely had room for him to do turns. No fun and a waste of money except in this case it just proves how very far Jar has come.

I don't blame you for being a bit tense.

[Krislady]

Thanks, guys - Jar really was a trooper.

And it helps that he knows all the material - he wasn't actually trying to LEARN anything new plus cope.

I was very pleased with his performance, that's for sure.