Eight Paws, Three Weeks

Good news! We are still alive and haven't been thrown out of our six-week dog class yet. Stressed but alive and well. We have crossed the half-way mark with nary a scar.

Let me give you an idea of how much the wife is enjoying obedience class. The morning of class she woke up and said not good morning... or how did you sleep... or what's the weather... she said, "Oh god, we have to go to dog school tonight."

Put it immediately in perspective.

Week Three of Dog Obedience brought us a surprise: Rosita was made for agility. She is not exactly stellar on a leash--she is more a kite on a string. She remains a loud mouth, looking to play with every dog in the building, blessed with attention deficit beyond compare. And, she still can't lay down. Literally--she can't lay down. Thankfully, the instructor now agrees there is something physically "wrong" that prohibits Rosita from laying down. We've been saying that from Day One. Not being able to lay down might keep the fluffy white dog from passing class, but that's fine with us. We're just excited she can sit on command and is walking better on a leash. That's like earning a PhD in Rositaland.

Lucky for us, the instructor decided to make Week Three about obstacles.... a tunnel, something to hop over, stairs... an agility course for beginners. We thought it'd be a disaster.... a DISASTER....

...until Rosita ran through the tunnel with glee... hopped over the gate.... scampered up the stairs without missing a beat... prancing between obstacles....

I'll be dipped in shit. It's the best she's ever been in class.... by a mile. She was a natural!

Bandido looked like she was going to die when I asked her to go up the stairs. She refused to go in the tunnel. And, screw that gate--she was going around, not over. It took numerous trips around the ring before Bandido decided this might actually be okay to try a few things. By the end of class, she too was okay but there was no prancing. It was more resignation that fun for her.

Of course, Rosita had to remain on her leash. After all, she was great at the obstacles but all those distraction of the other dog classes going on at the same time would be too big a temptation for Miss Social Butterfly. Maybe someday she'll be able to run free, but today is not that day.

I think the night's successes were most appreciated by the wife. This obedience gig has been really tough on her. Seeing Rosita excel made her night... hell, it probably made her week.

Week Four won't bring this kind of fun but at least there was a break in the exhaustion of the grind. Everyone comes home after class and goes right to bed. I'm not sure if that's funny, warranted or pathetic.

I have faith that Bandido will pass the class with flying colors....

....I have faith Rosita will be honored with "most improved" in the class. After all, she has improved beyond my wildest dreams, even if she is a kite on a string....

....I have faith the wife will live through three more classes. THAT might be the biggest accomplishment of all. I may have to get her a certificate indicating that she is the "most improved handler." She has come further than all the dogs combined. A true compliment, indeed.

Three more weeks. We can do it. Sit. Stay. Pray. Gobble Gobble.