Today, Charlie is going to puppy class. Well, beginner's class, anyway. He is now as daft as a brush around other dogs - AGAIN - so we've got to begin the long process of getting used to other dogs - AGAIN. I'm in Cornwall this weekend, and have found a class held outside. It's a bit of a drive, but I don't fancy going to the class that is nearer to us but held in a small inside space. At least outside I can use distance. Charlie will have to stay on lead. I'm slightly in two minds about whether this will help, or just increase his frustrations. But, on balance, have decided that continued isolation from other dogs is the greater of the evils I'm facing. So we'll give it a go. His leg is healed enough now for there to be no danger if he jumps around a bit, and he'll just have to wear a harness and lump it. Last night, Charlie was as good as gold in the pub. You would never have thought he is really a total hooligan. He sat on his towel by my chair and didn't even move when the waitress held a plate of steak a couple of inches from his nose. And there were lots of other dogs in the pub, some barking. But on the way home, there were 2 dogs in front of us on lead - they were old, quiet dogs. Boring dogs. And he was a whining disgrace. I was really tired of him messing about by the time we got home. So, back to school it is for Charlie boy. Here we go again with the "don't be a nutcase around other dogs" training.....sigh. Story of my life with this dog.
I'm looking forward to it, I hope he doesn't find it too frustrating. Charlie is not a "gold star" type of dog - he's Charlie - and I accepted that long ago. He is invariably the class hooligan, the dog that nicks the instructor's stuff, disrupts proceedings, whines and makes his presence constantly felt by all, and tumbles head over heels when it's his turn to fetch something. Still love him though.
and you wouldn't want him any other way , or perhaps just not quite the hooligan . I'm sure that overall being around more dogs will have a positive effect on Charlie and help with his overall recovery.
I think some dogs are just "hard wired" that way. You cannot change their personality (unless you use harsh and extreme measures, which I am not prepared to do) This does not mean I have given up trying. I accept it is part of Molly's ebullient personality and try to manage her to lessen the impact on others. I do think we are modifying our behaviour a bit She seems to have a special corner in her heart for other Labs and Spaniels. Charlie did well in the pub though. Last night I left a Lemon Curd Cheesecake right at the back of the kitchen counter to defrost for a party I was going to. Strange noises emanated from the kitchen. Investigated to find Molly can now reach to the far corner of the worktop, she had pulled the Cheesecake into range and was working her way through the meringue.
I removed the 'sampled section' section, with safety margin. Took the pristine half along to the party. Confessed. They all laughed and then ate it I should add that it was supposed to have been a barbecue. It had poured with rain all day and we were huddled in the lounge. I think it was they call Blitz Spirit.
Well, training was a big success. It wasn't really a "puppy" class, it was more just beginner pet dogs although some were young. There were 3 classes running, in separate sections. He was very noisy (honking whines) getting out of the car, and all the pet dogs were playing with each other on lead (we don't do that). So Charlie was pulling towards them, and found it a bit difficult. The instructors were good though, and told people to give us some space and we managed to make it into the field in reasonable order. After that, I just worked on getting Charlie's attention. I allowed him to sniff round in between asking for sits and so on, and he relaxed. The main activity of the lesson was starting send aways (just starting to shape to a mat), which Charlie can do anyway, and luckily I had my placeboards in the car, so that was fine. It allowed us to just concentrate on being there and calming down. He was tugging on his lead towards other dogs time to time, a bit of whining, and sometimes sniffing so intensely I couldn't get his attention (he does this when a little stressed). When it was his turn to do stuff though, he was really, really ready to work. Super keen. I was even confident enough to have him off lead to go to his place board, and learn how to go through an agility tunnel (he needed no encouragement - what's not to like about trotting through a blue tunnel?). So, although it would have been a disappointment in terms of whining at a gundog class, he was pretty good I thought. Pet dogs are quite boring compared to gundog dogs - the dogs we were with were small, and moved slowly even when they were running. So there weren't any cocker spaniels whizzing round like fireworks, no dummies, and no pheasants. A very good intermediate step to getting back into training though, so I'll go again.
Yeah, he was a good boy - better than I expected. I hope he hasn't done too much though. He seems tired now. It wasn't very energetic, all we did was sit/stay, go a a placeboard a few times, one recall and 2 trots through a tunnel. That's nothing, really. So I hope it's not physical tiredness, just mental tiredness with a bit of luck.
Charlie is coming along in leaps and bounds! What a good idea going to a puppy class. We find controlled, safe environments the best way to work with Benson, actually the only way! He can be such a pain at times, but I know in a blink he will grow up and I shall miss my beloved chocolate monster! Benson says "Molly you are my kinda gal!"
Sounds as if you had a positive lesson with Charlie. I suspect he's tired with all the excitement of the class, the dogs and doing some training. Quite a day for Charlie really and I think he did really well
I should think he is pretty tired after the necessarily sheltered life he's been leading, Julie. It doesn't sound as though you gave him too much to do - it's just a lot for him after having been away from other dogs for so long. I think he did really well - big pats, that boy.
Yeah, I'm pleased with him. It also helped that it was a pet dog class, and things were very relaxed - there were pretty low expectations on the dogs, really. Certainly compared to the classes that I'm used to going to where the expectations on both the dogs and handler is high. So in a way that's not good, as we might get more sloppy than we already are, but in another way it was good because it just sort of eases us back into it without a lot of stress. Anyway, his tiredness was nothing physical. By 6pm he was nagging for his walk (so OH took him to do his "walking up hills" physio walk), and he isn't stiff or anything like that. He is sparko again now though. Ah, lovely, bit of peace on a Saturday night....
Reminded me of when I first took Mabel to puppy class. She was the only gundog, she was super confident, rolling round the floor and generally being silly. It was a really big hall with only 6 other puppies but we had to sit at the far end out of the way . I was mortified but by week 3 I thought give me character and personality every time. I stuck it out because he is such a good trainer and I've made a really good friend who has a German shepherd the same age as Mabel. She's a bit of a hooligan too. (The puppy not owner ). This topic has made me smile so much Charlie is such a star all be it a bit of a hooligan . I'm so glad it went well for you, and long may it continue. We go to Whitsand Bay a week Monday, if I see Charlie I'll shout hi from a distance as Mabel is still not allowed to play.
