Taylors Dog Obedience Class, Week 4...

Lesson 4

Heel, Down, Stay, Sit, Stand...

Last night was Taylors Obedience Class Training... here she is with me in the green shirt, she tries so hard to behave amongst the 50 other dogs in class!

(I shake and shutter about the number of dogs in class, but the training is based on being able to obey off leash with all the distractions of the world around them... so if they can obey in this class, they should be able to obey in any situation)

Here are some of Taylors buddies, who get the "down" command already.
It was so hot, and I have been so sick still coughing so much... I must have not been getting enough oxygen and I got super dizzy in class, so I called over my strong silent mysterious man to stand in for me and finish the training. Taylor was a little confused but she finally figured out who was in charge... and it wasn't her anymore.

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On the right is another one of Taylors friends "Toby". He is 1 year old and loves to pick up all the little sticks on the ground like Taylor does, and when we are in a "down stay" he will try and creep and crawl on his belly just like Taylor too. They love to play together, but we had to separate them in class, they are two peas in a pod.

This little puppy "Molly" has a stubborn streak a mile long, and never looks happy about being taught obedience. Apparently they are much smarter than we give them credit... it's all a ploy. She knows exactly what to do, the first time she is told to do it. Her owner is being trained to learn how to be stricter with her commands and corrections so Molly doesn't think she can get away with all her shenanigans.

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Yes, most of us are being trained and the dogs are just there to help us learn.

Here, my man has Taylor in a "sit stay". She doesn't break many times now, she is about 97%, not quite 100% yet, but she will be very soon... she is finally getting it. Wahoo!!!!

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Earlier in the day before class we tested her and the teenager drug a piece of lunch meat tied to a rope, across the leash line between me and Taylor and she never broke her stay to go after it!! I know, we should have gotten it on film, her Nene would never ever believe this! But it's true!!!

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Hopefully this is just the beginning, and after ten weeks we will have allot of footage with our little Taylor behaving like a dog with some major manners.

It is an expensive class, but well worth the money we have invested.

And it is more work than I would have ever thought... but that hard work is starting to pay off!!

I am so excited!! It will mean all the difference in the world to have a dog that minds, is easy to be around because you can give them your expectations and have them revolve around your world, not have your life revolve around them. And for us, the safety factor... we love our dogs like children, and to be able to take them camping or even to the store without any incidents (like this one I had with Taylor) or worrying about how to control them, will be an entirely different world for them and for us!