Day 35

Thursday is a killer day for everyone. Lessons of one sort or another all morning and today was the test day. Sanity did her first pre-novice run through. While it was very true that she needed much help, still she did a very good first job. She managed to do the puppy version of heeling even thought she is stuck with a human who wobbles. Her sits were there and only need a tiny bit of guidance to help in the straight department. This was her first stand for exam where another person was touching her. She did great. True, I was right there standing in front of her and helping her remain in place, but still she did the bulk of the work. Her recall is much better than most dogs 4 times her age.

When evening came around we headed off for class. Knowing that she was still pretty tired we did the group stays and then spent most of the rest of the class sleeping. She is holding a 3 minute sit/stay with me 6' away and while she still needs help on the down position itself she is holding a 5 minute stay with me 6' away. Course, since she fell asleep during the exercise I'm not sure it counts.

Toward the end of the class she woke up and we started fooling around with the play retrieve. Her friend Lilly was there and while she had also been asleep, Lilly did wake up to join in the fun. The two pups took turns running out to get one of those tiny tennis balls with the fake fur tails. And then class was over and we headed home.

At home another step was taken. Sanity moved out of the crate in the dining room and into a bed on the floor beside my bed. So she is now official as she has started sleeping in The Bedroom. That is a major step and I swear she knows it. Besides which, she goes to bed at night way too tired to wake up and get into any trouble. Tired pups are always good pups.