Friday, June 14, 2013

a graduation class...


A few folks who are on staff at my vet's .. got puppies this past spring. When they asked me about puppy classes, I thought it would be fun to run a class just for them. Afterall, they take care of all my service puppies for FREE.... donating their time and all medical services... so I thought this might be a nice way for me to say thank you to them. We had a few classes right at the clinic and then for their graduation class... we all met at the local Tractor Supply store to test their skills.
I have to admit, I love the Tractor Supply stores, not only do they have everything that I need for the farm.. but they welcomed dogs... all dogs... and for my students, its a great place to go and practice their dog's obedience skills. Example... meeting up with other people, especially kids......
That's a hard lesson for a happy excitable pup... NOT to jump when approached....
And then there are all sorts of "weird" things... statues for example... every see a more than life large rooster.... or a miniature cowboy.... things like this can take a puppy by surprise.... or how about learning to walk beside a shopping cart....
down stays being practiced in the dog food isle... and Abbie (very happy to be a part of the group)... walking back and forth by the puppies.....
Course, she and Rylie had to do a bit of dog training of their own. She was quite the "big shot" walking "her" puppy threw the store....
And Rylie followed along, as nice as could be.... (leaving us is going to be very hard!!!!)

Just "out shoppin'" with her buddy.......
But, back to my class... we played going threw the doorways... sliding doors can be scary too... they move differently from regular doors, and they make a strange sound...










But everyone did well....

We went out to the garden section.. I thought that might be a nice spot to have our little graduation ceremony.. amongst the flowers and such...
And the puppies seemed pretty please with their caps....
As were the owners. So, first step of their life long training begun... 
As for these two.........














trouble!!!!!












But noted... "Baby... Rylie follows me everywhere and does just what I want her to..."    (oh my,,,,,,,)