Sunday 22 January 2012

Saturday - Puppy class No 9

I woke first at 6am and decided to go back to sleep thinking Rodders would wake me with the hour anyway. Wrong! I woke again just after 8am and he didn't make a sound until I was downstairs so I must have woken him up!

We had a bit of a lazy morning and so I didn't actually get washed and dressed until just before we left for puppy school.

Amazingly Rodders is now the most experienced, if not the best behaved, puppy in the class and is due to graduate next week! We had a new puppy join this week too, Leo a King Charles who is really cute so the class was full of various Spaniels (Two cockers, another King Charles and a Clumber) and Rodders. After passing all the puppy's between us to give them all a fuss, treats and get them used to other people we started the class properly and lined up in the car park with our puppy's sat beside us before walking them to the field at heel. Rodders did quite well at this today (well, his version of heel which is about a foot in front of me!) . He was also quite good at letting the other pup's weave through us and he walked to heel when it was our turn. We tried down and stay while I walked around him and he was OK for most of that and then we did sit and wait before calling our puppy to us. He didn't always wait until called and he didn't always sit in front of me so he didn't get a treat all the time.

It was then on to the agility course, his favourite bit! His first go through the tunnel he had to be held as he wouldn't wait but after that he was very good. He came flying through the second time and I missed him, luckily he ran straight off to the A Frame and I managed to catch him up. He wasn't too keen on the little jump but he did go over it twice. He is much better at going through the tunnel and over the A Frame though.

We then played with the tuggy's and he really is very good at letting go when told but he isn't quite so good at holding the toy and bringing it back to you so we need to practice that.

As we were walking back to the hall the tutor (who's name I can't remember) said that Rodders has really come on since the shy, nervous dog that started at the beginning of November and is ready to graduate next week! I wish I felt as confidant about moving up to the next class.

Back at the hall Rodders sat and waited nicely at the door and went in to the down position without too much trouble. He really is very good at lying there with me stood astride him.

On the way back from class we stopped at Pets at Home to see what treats they had as we were running low. He got spotted by Kirsty, one of the staff, who came over to give him a fuss and see how he was so we ended up in there for ages.

We came home and had some lunch but it was obvious that Rodders was tired so I left him at home and went out to do some shopping, except I had left the car key in my dog walking jacket and I had to pop back in straight away. Rodders was brilliant, I gave him an extra treat as I grabbed what I needed and disappeared again and he didn't make a sound. It is good to know that I can pop back in and leave him in his crate. By the time I got back I had a stinking headache so I was quite happy that Rodders wanted up on the sofa with me for a snuggle. We both went off to sleep for almost an hour! By the time we woke up my head felt much better luckily.

During the evening Rodders was alternatively playing and sleeping. At one point we were playing with his duck when I heard something go pinging across the floor so I went to investigate and it looks as though the troublesome tooth is out. Lets hope that he will soon be eating properly again.

There is a lot of barking going on at the moment and I am not sure why. He keeps asking to go in the garden and not going once the door is open or he does go out and just stands and barks so I make him come back in.

Rodders was fast asleep at bedtime and I felt mean waking him up to go out in to the garden. He was very good and went out by himself and sat on the grass for a little while before having a piddle and coming back in. He went straight in to his crate as I locked up and got his treats.

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