Offleash Class - SOME dogs are offleash, anyway

[Krislady]

Okay so first, my computer is down so I'm using the laptop. The OLD laptop. The OLD SLOW laptop.

Anyway, we had puppy class yesterday - and, while Jar was a lot better with heeling than he had been (which would be SUCKY), there was still no way we were going to try it offleash - I don't even do that at home! Of course, I don't even have enough room in the house to heel him without having to walk around a piece of furniture or turn around to avoid walking int a wall or something . And it's been cold and raining all week, so no out in the yard heeling, either. But we have been working much more on our walks - with a leash - and he really is improving.

Still need to work on the finishes - both "around" and "flip."

But it's going to be a while before we're as good as that smart-aleck little poodle-golden retriever mix who just prances along, heeling and flipping and having a grand old time - all without a leash!

Our new "thing" this week is "stand for exam" - again, not hard, but it'll be more challenging without the leash, and with a stranger poking at him.

All in all, the class went well - Jar was very tired (you can tell by the way he walks - he gets really limpy and SLOW) - though he did make an amazing recovery once we were out of class - all perky and jaunty and stuff. He's had a rough couple of weeks - last week I wasn't home, so his walks were really cut short, so this week, between the rain and the hurricanes and stuff, we've been trying to get back into shape - Saturday morning was the longest walk we took all week, and that wasn't really all THAT long, but it was more than he's been used to lately, I think.

He dealt well with the other dogs - little by little, we're moving him farther out into the room and keeping him there longer. Unfortunately, ALL of the other dogs in the class are very young, and they don't seem to understand that it's rude for them to stare at the big limpy dog. And Jar doesn't seem to understand that they're just BABIES and don't mean anything by it. But he's getting better about it.

[K9 Owned]

He is making good progress imo especially with the challenges of the past week. He will get there. Don't you just hate that poodle/something? LOL

When I was training with Chase doing pre-trial stuff we were surrounded by Shelties who are little obedience robots. No way my big long dog looked tidy doing his finishes in comparison. I hated them.

BTW.. I own one of those idiot dogs who don't realize that staring or barking at another dog is rude. That is our biggest challenge and I so get it having one of each type. Snarky Maddie and Rude, rude Dawson.

[Krislady]

Yeah, that little show-offy poodle drives me nuts - prancing around all "look at me! look at me!"

The thing is that I KNOW Jar knows the stuff, he just won't do it in front of anyone - reminds me of that singing frog in the old cartoons - remember that one?



Though at this point, I do think it's less about his "performance" and more about his not trying to clear the room of all other dogs.