Am Celebrating

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Arizahn

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The mad ginger pup is at last at a point where I feel he can cope with classes! So we are off to obedience classes as of Wednesday.

He has issues re meeting new people/dogs: fine if I greet them first, otherwise he sticks the hackles up and bellows, whilst bouncing up and down on the spot. He resembles a warthog when he does this...it is very embarrassing. Especially as once he does know someone, he is a soppy so and so!

Am also bringing the other young dog, who has mild brain damage and is blind. He is mentally under developed. He is a year old, but still stuck in the three to four month phase. Will probably never be fully housetrained, and regularly goes into lockdown, where he just shuts down. Or else runs off in a perfectly straight line until he bumps into something...

And I am looking forward to this why???
 
Bringing husband: he is going to work with the little blind dog. He is a nice little dog, for all of his problems, and really just needs his confidence boosted. Whereas ginger lunatic is going to be bonkers for the first while. "OMG YOU ARE A DOG TOO??! SO AM I! NO DON'T LEAVE! DON'T SNIFF ME! DON'T LEAVE!"

I may die of embarrassment. If I don't post on Wednesday night, that's what has happened...:D
 
Dogs and training classes are generally a mix to cause acute embarrassment to owners. :) However a decent training class should be able to deal with over excited dogs , if they don't then find another class!
 
MurphysMinder said:
Dogs and training classes are generally a mix to cause acute embarrassment to owners. :) However a decent training class should be able to deal with over excited dogs , if they don't then find another class!
Click to expand...

Thanks I am hoping all will be well! We took our older dogs to this class and it was very good. Have just been waiting until ginger one was settled enough to attempt group training. I spoke to the trainers yesterday and explained what he is like. They are happy for him to come along.

Canine Good Citizen Award, here we come! As I recall, there are free biscuits and tea provided. Blind dog will be in heaven if he realises this. He is an accomplished beggar - part labrador, part Oliver, lol!
 
Class went very well. Husband was unable to take part as his back gave out, but he sat with little blind dog and the little chap seemed to quite enjoy the sounds and smells :)

Ginger chap had a tantrum at the start: worked himself up and wasn't listening at all. My bad, I tensed up and shortened the lead when he initially barked. Trainer worked with him for most of the class - he was his example dog. Ginger one did nicely once he calmed down. He was apparently the best trained dog there, and is not at all aggressive, just utterly clueless on how to approach other dogs.

This is due to the vicious cycle of ginger dog barks, other owners avoid us, I get an earful, I worry about it happening again, so next time I am tense, he senses it and barks more...

So my instructions are to relax and stop worrying. His barking is not nasty barking at all. Am really glad we went. Have spent several months being told by virtually everyone that he isn't nice at all :( Still I have taught him heel, sit, stay, down, and leave it, and his recall is perfect!

Shall be glad to tell other owners and random passers by the cause of his barking. Hope they believe me!

In less than happy news, our Labrador has developed several odd looking sort of warty skin tags, and her front legs appear to be weakening at the elbows. Eldest dog has also deteriorated. Off to the vet again tomorrow. It isn't looking good, tbh :(

Have finally got the collie back to his proper weight, so at least there is that. Pancreas is a tricky thing, very scary when it goes wrong.
 
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