The Graduate

Tonight was our last class. This was what we had been working toward for the past 8 weeks. It was time for us to show how smart and obedient my pup can be.

If only I can get her to pay attention....

I was a little worried at the beginning of class that we wouldn't make it. All three of the dogs in the class (Jade, Reg, and Scout) were having a hard time paying attention and following directions. It's like they knew it was a special night for them, but it was also the worst night for them to fail in concentration.

The "test" would be done individually, which was smart because removing the dogs from each other helped a little with their concentration. It consisted of us walking around the store and performing the tasks we had been working on during class (sit, lay down, sit for greeting, "leave it", sit/stay, come when called) and then us going back in and demonstrating the new trick we started learning last week.

Jade and I went last. I was a little worried that she would be bored by that point and decide to stop paying attention (she's going through her "teenager phase"). But she did not let me down. She did everything wonderfully, even the sit for greeting (she still has a hard time trusting new people but at least she was willing to sit and be approached). The stay portion was a little hard for her because she was expected to sit still for 30 seconds. That's longer than we had done before and I could tell she was antsy because she scooted her bottom around in a circle, but she never lifted her tail off the floor, so the instructor gave her a pass. Then it was back into the training area to show off our trick. The others worked with an army crawl thing with their dogs, but Jade and I decided to be a little different (and more lady-like) and so we did "sit pretty". That's where I have her sit her butt down then get her to lift her front paws up and sit on only her back legs. It's that cute "begging" trick that some dogs do, but it's so much sweeter as a "sit pretty".

All in all, she did a great job and managed to pass her beginning training. I'm so very proud of my girl!

Isn't this one of the cutest pictures ever?