16 Mar 2009

Today I had a BIG SURPRISE!  My dad came home and he was very busy.  He only gave me one kiss and a pat on the head, then told me he had to get ready.  Ready for WHAT?  Sigh - oh-well...... My dad is always so busy.  No time for his best puppy today.

When dad was ready, he came to get me.  Oh-boy, we are going somewhere - MY FAVORITE!  Where are we going?  It doesn't matter - just somewhere.... anywhere.
Dad took me out to the dog-show van.  Surprise, my training bag was there.  Now I was confused.  I graduated from dog training two weeks ago.  What could be going on?  Mom got in the dog-show van to drive.  My human brother James did not come with.  Daisy had to stay home too.

We rode a long time.  When the dog-show van stopped, we were at the training center in Las Cruces.  Mom and dad went inside and left poor little me in the dog-show van.  I whined and howled some.  After a while dad came to get me.  We went inside.  Dad let me off my leash and found my favorite toy, the orange Bad Cuz.  I like how it squeaks.  Dad throws it for me, and it always bounces funny when it hits its legs.  Then I chase it all around the room.

Just when I was really having fun some other dogs came in.  So dad made me get back on my leash and we put the Bad Cuz back in the toy box.    Sigh... Puppies never get any fun!  Dad worked me heeling and turning for a little bit - dad calls this a "warm-up"  I was already pretty warm from chasing the Bad Cuz around the room.  But dad worked me anyway.  Dad was using treats to keep my attention.  And it worked pretty well too.  Then when we stopped and walked back to mom I noticed a lot of strange dogs had come in.  I didn't know any of them. I wanted to make friends but dad wouldn't let me.  I had the mom-collar on and it would bite me if I got too close to another dog.

Then the Alpha-human came in.  HEY - I know what this is... it's Puppy Class again.  Oh-Boy - puppy class... My Favorite!  I started paying real close attention.  I got another surprise.  This isn't puppy class, it is BASIC OBEDIENCE CLASS.  Dad says things will be much more difficult in this class, but we are going to have fun.  I like having fun.  So I sat and listened carefully.
I learned that the Alpha-human's name is Karen.  And she has been teaching dogs like me for 30 years.  Mom said Karen taught Uncle Parker, and he earned 3 titles from what he learned from Karen.  So I am going to pay close attention and really try to learn.  I like this dog training stuff.

The class started off just like the puppy class.  Almost exactly like the puppy class.  There was one bad dog in there right from the start. And within minutes Karen zeroed in on that bad dog.  Did HE get a surprise!  He thought he was a tough poodle.  Well - he wasn't nothing compared to Karen.  Every time he acted up Karen was right there to catch him.  There were two other dogs there, they had short legs like that Corgi dog, but they were longer and they barked funny. Dad called them Bassett Hounds. 

Then I got another surprise.  Someone was coming in late.  It's RAVEN!  My puppy friend Raven is in class with me.  Oh - I was so happy my tail wagged and wagged.  Raven sat down next to me and then my other friend Boogie came out.
Boogie is older and he has finished his training.  Karen uses Boogie as a demonstrator dog.  Boogie is really smart about it too.  I think this is going to be a good class.  As long as Karen keeps that poodle in line.  With all that funny hair, I think poodles are some kind of CULT-DOGS or something.

The rest of the class we just did heeling and turns, the same stuff we did first day of puppy class.  So I am back to dog-training again.  And my friends Raven and Boogie are there too.  I am a really really happy puppy.  When we got home, dad made me a really good dinner, then I went to bed with a full belly.  I was asleep in minutes dreaming happy puppy dreams.