Graduation From Puppy Class (Wednesday Night)

Yipppeee!! I've completed 4 weeks of puppy training and I've officially graduated. This Saturday, I begin obedience training with the big boys and girls. According to my other trainer Lisa, there are going to be about 20 dogs at the 'real' obedience class, and only 2 or 3 other puppies, so this is the real deal. No more puppy playing around. I'm excited about class because I get hotdog treats and get to meet many other doggie friends. I hope we'll get to play a little.

Here is a picture of me and my parents at the end of my class

Training is sometimes fun, and also quite stressful. But I let mum and dad know I still enjoy it because I wag my tail around when I do something right, and I get hugs, praise and lots of love too. I never pass a chance to get a hotdog treat. They are simply delicious. The faster I associate the word command to the action I'm supposed to do, the faster I get the treat.

Sometimes I get grumpy and I throw tantrums. I scream at the top of my lungs because I just don't feel like it. No one is hurting me, and they just want me to follow a command, but I just won't do it. I just scream and hope they'll get so annoyed with me and let me get away with it, but NO.... they still tell me to do it, regardless. Then I obey and I get a treat and all is well again. My tricks just don't work on my parents. This sucks..

The wonderful thing about going to training is that I get to meet the resident dogs and also other dogs undergoing training. Here are some pictures of me meeting Enya, who belongs to Lisa my trainer. Enya is a beautiful and obedient German Shepherd. She is about 2 years old, and is very well trained. She is now on a 'Climb' command and is not allowed to come down from her platform to meet me. So I'll meet her halfway. She is very grand looking.

Meeting bigger dogs than me on a regular basis at my training centre, especially because they are well trained dogs, has helped me to build my self confidence and has taught me good doggie manners. I am not rude when I meet other dogs, big or small, nor do I get overly excited or anxious, and I must thank all the resident dogs at my training centre for this. I'm just normal when I meet big dogs. I used to be extremely shy, but not anymore.

I still remember the first time I came to training, I was only 9 weeks old. There was a huge Malinois called U who belonged to Michael, my other trainer. He is a magnificent dog, very alpha, and I was so scared of him. When U came near me, I would run under the chair and table and hide. Then I realized all U wanted to do was smell my butt and say hello. Before I knew it, I really liked U and look forward to seeing him every time I go for lessions. If U was there on his platform (on a 'Climb' command) then I would go up to him, wag my tail intensively and say hi nicely. I always love meeting U.