I am ready to earn a cert-i-fit-i-kit so I signed up for Petsmart's Click-a-Trick class. I am excited to learn new tricks in preparation to get my TKN. Its my goal to get 1 cert-i-fit-i-kit and 1 title before my 2nd birthday and thats in April! I got my stuff all ready days in advance. I got an outfit (Thanks again Santa), leash/collar combo, treat bag wif treats, and my vaccination records.
Then momma broke the news to me....I had to have a baff, here was my response.
After all that baff business we loaded up and left the complex.
We have arrived.
WOW! My first training class was a bit overwhelming. But in a good way. It was supposed to be an hour class that turned into two hours. The trainer Miss Rachel says I need as much socialization as I can handle. Since the other puppies for "Click-a-Trick" didn't make it to class I got an hour of one on one training. Miss Rachel had turkey jerky which was fan-puppin-tastic! I wouldn't let her pet me but I got close and didn't bark my fool head off at her, nor did I karate kick her, so it was good. I suppose some people aren't so bad. She gave momma some good tips for helping me not be so scared when I see peoples or leashed doggos. She taught me to boop (touch with my nose) mommas hand. So when I start getting scared momma will get a treat and ask for boops to redirect my focus.
Towards the end of my class a furry cute blonde chihuahua came in early for her therapy class. You will never guess what her name is. Its POPPY! 2 Poppy's and both are chihuahua mixes! Literally what are the odds? We had a little growlies from both of us when we met but no one got upset, not one got worried, instead we did a socialization activity with Miss Rachel.
She would put turkey jerky down and when we didn't get scared we got lots of praise. We both got so comfortable that we sniffed each other multiple times wif no growlies. #practicemakesprogress #chihuahuasrule
6 pm came fast and more puppers came to their therapy class. Miss Rachel said that we could do a "Stay and Observe" if we would like to do so. I wasn't sure but momma said it would be good for us. As a mini aussie named Lucy came in she was all excited about life, kind of reminds me of a Lucy I know, that scared me and I nipped at her to disagree. Then two giant doggos came in and I kept my mouth shut. I was barely knee high to either of them. One was a labbie name Lily and the other was a goldendoodle named Gracie. Once everyone sat down and became calm I came out from under the stool and looked around. To mommas surprise even through I was on leash I wasn't barking. With dogs just 10 feet from me I was ok. It felt good to not be so tense. I even did a sit for momma with everyone in the training area. #gooddog This was the best pic momma could get. It was a bit crazy in the training area.
The other doggos did some exercises like "leave it" which means they put foodables right in front of them but they couldn't eat them. Color me bamboozled! Surprisingly they all left them alone. Then they put some fun toys in the middle of the floor and dumped out doritos so they could do "stay" "leave it" and "come". They had to walk past the toys and food back to their mommies. I don't think I could ever do all that! After "leave it's" they did "distracting person" training. Other associates from the store came bursting into the training arena hollering and stomping. Lucy the aussie got excited but after a correction settled down and was furry well behaved. These doggos are pawmazing. How can they be so calm?
In between each activity the other doggies went for a walkie through the store. As each returned momma made sure to watch me and if I just watched them walk by and or sniffed in their direction with out growlies or barkies I got a treat. Miss Rachel says that every other time I have seen a doggie on leash out in the real world and I would bark, that doggie would then "leave" with their owner. That showed me that if I bark the thing that scared me, it leaves and I don't have to worry about it anymore.
Last but not least the everyone got play time, even me! Miss Rachel tossed toys everywhere and everyone was let off leash. I stayed by momma and watched everyone play. Miss Rachel brought me a toy and I did get a little frisky and played wif it. Gracie the golden doodle came over to say hello and I growlied. Momma picked me up told me "NO" and asked Gracie to come back. Once I was up at her level we sniffed noses and momma got to give her some pets. She is a gentle giant. Momma says she had the fluffiest black furs you could ever imagine. Later on Gracie came near us to say hello to another hooman sitting by us and I took the opportunity to sniff her paw while she was distracted. Just as I was getting a good sniff I ended up getting whopped with her tail. Whoa! Momma giggled and said now I know how she feels when I am in the bed and get all excited and whop her with my tail.
So our home work is to work on boops (touch), staying calm when I see people/dogs, and if I become barkie do some sort of training to distract me from the scary thing.
After class I got to thinking....our doggie pack includes Gracie a poodle mix (cockapoo), Lucy the purebred (poodle) and me, Poppy the chinese crested/chihuahua mix. In class we had Gracie the poodle mix (goldendoodle), Lucy the purebred (aussie), and Poppy the blonde chihuahua mix. How crazy is that? Sure is a small world.
Here is my official week one photo. #traniningclassmodel
As we got to the car and momma was searching for her keys and looked over to see me already asleep in the carseat. Training makes me sweepy.
Smooches,
Poppy
Sounds like ya made some good progress!
ReplyDelete