Monday Dog Blog: Learning

G: Look How Good I Am Mommy!

Our Monday nights are big around here these days. 

All four of us head out to participate in an intermediate level training class for the puppies. 

Practicing Walking On A Leash (No UPS Trucks? Piece of Cake!)

Tovah has had three training classes so far--puppy kindergarden twice and an agility class--whereas Gerswhin has only had one class. When we first got Tovah Rose and Gershwin we attended classes, but I still had to sit in a reclining chair most of class and couldn't participate much. This summer, Mom took Tovah Rose to the agility class.

This Fall, I'm able to attend class, but still don't do the walking/standing exercises. While Mom is practicing leash-walking with one dog, I sit on the floor and practice keeping the dogs engaged and able to follow commands in spite of all of the distractions going on around them. I am really, really pleased about being able to go to this class.

Class started out a bit rough with the instructor. I almost left in tears before even starting the class at all. Despite having filled out forms in advance detailing my health issues and how we would make participating in class work, the instructor had not seen the forms yet and/or hadn't read them. When I asked to be seated for class and told her why, she was curt and abrupt. She insisted that she keeps everyone in her class moving and there isn't room for sitting. 

It's these little moments that sometimes make the illness side of things so hard. I think Mom and I showed her how we could fully participate in the class in spite of my limitations, that we were committed to training our puppies, and that we could find ways to make the time I was sitting with each dog meaningful. Now, we are enjoying class much more and the teacher seems to genuinely care about how I'm doing and making class work for me.

Tovah: I'm Not Paying Attention Mom!

My long-term dream goal for Tovah Rose and Gershwin is that they achieve Canine Good Citizen status and that I feel well enough to take them to visit people--either in assisted living facilities, nursing facilities or children's groups. I need a lot more stamina and a lot more time to train these guys, but the goal seems more reachable as I see improvements in health. 

For now, we're taking it one step at a time. Monday nights are a big night out and we all come home EXHAUSTED! :)

Blessings,

Emily