Puppy Graduation!

So last night was graduation for Patches' Advanced Training I class.  First, though, we learned Park It.  Patches learned to go to his blankie and lie down.  We still have to work on it, but he did really well.  As the proud mommy (does that make me a bitch?!), it was cool to see him go through the thought process of "OK.  New thing here.  What am I supposed to do?"  We started by having him walk onto the blanket and when he had two paws on, I said "Park It!" and when he had 3 paws on, I said "Good Park It!" and treated him.  It was immediately clear that he knew something new was going on and he was trying to figure out what he did that earned him a treat.  Even the trainer was commenting "look at him think!"  We eventually worked up to having him sit on the blanket and then down on the blanket and then to walk towards the blanket and lie down on it whenever we said Park It.  He totally got it.  He really is a smart dog!

Then we started the graduation test.  He did the best long Down Stay and Sit Stays of the class.  Usually he gets a bit twitchy during those, but he held them the entire time.  The Stand Stay was the best he's done in the class,  but he can do better at home.

Ok.  So here's the sad part of the story.  We broke into groups to do Front and Finish (where he comes to us and sits down in FRONT of us and then FINISHes by walking around us to the right and sitting by our left side).  We also had to do a Moving Sit where we're heeling and then he sits while we walk away, come back and start heeling again.  Patches was in the second group.  While he was waiting he all of a sudden starting sniffing all over the floor and moving around in a panicked way.  I had no idea what was up, but let him have a bit more leash.  And then he tried to hide and scooted his booty in between two toy displays and had an little accident.  Unfortunately (for us), it was a smelly accident that didn't look very healthy.  Like early onset diarrhea.  Folks, this is PetSmart.  That stuff happens.  They have cleaning supplies all over the store.  What was so sad was how embarrassed he was afterwards.  His ears were down.  His tail was down.  He wouldn't look at me.  I told him it was OK, but he was very upset that he had done what only bad dogs do.  (Doo!)  It was also his time up to do this part of the test, and he was too upset to start.  The trainer (being the alpha dog of this pack) had to tell him he was a Good Dog and it was OK before he could even Sit to start Front.  She said he looked ashamed because he knows he's a smart dog.  (He had another similar accident after class on Ailse 4 so we think he had an upset tummy)

So the final part of the test:  Heel with varying speeds (fast, slow, normal), AKC and German Turns (AKC:  we both turn right; German I turn left into him and he turns right around me.  Way cool), and Automatic Sits (when I stop walking, he sits).  He was exxxxxceellllent on those.  He watched me the entire time and did every single thing I asked of him.  He really does love showing off and it explains why he was so ashamed to poop inside in front of everyone.  He Passed!  Advanced Training II is in one month.  And then it's the Canine Good Citizen Test--a big deal that if every dog had we wouldn't have dog attacks in this country.

I'm going to miss our pack.  Phil, the shy dog, has made amazing improvements.  He was actually able to go Down and Stay, which was impossible when we started this class.  He also let two of us pet him last night which never happens.  Lexie, the German Shepherd, did not try to eat Patches last night and even let him sniff her.  As we were leaving, Lexie's mom said "I'm so glad Lexie didn't try to eat Patches the last two weeks!"  I said "Me, too!" and we both meant it! Finally, we get pictures of our dogs and us and a certificate for graduation.  The nicest thing:  The trainer took a picture of all of us for her to keep.  (Patches on one side of the group, Lexie on the other!)

So that's why I was dreaming of rain.....

The above was supposed to be the entire post, until about 3:30 this morning.  I was dreaming of being at home and having to miss class because of some huge storm.  And rain and rain and thunder and lightening. And then I woke up and realized why I was dreaming about rain.  We were in the midst of a huge honkin' storm.  I checked on the Zoo to see how everyone was faring.  Patches in the crate looked very scared and was staring out the window.  Cole was in his special hiding closet space, and Scar and Dunc were nowhere to be found.  Back to bed wide awake for another hour.  5:15 the alarm goes off for us to meet our buds to run.  We lie in bed debating: Do we?  Don't we?  There are sleepy sullen words exchanged.  We get dressed.  We're late.  It's raining slightly.  We leave to meet everyone.  We pass one possible turn back intersection.  We're going to run! A huge bolt of lightening rips across the sky.  OK!  'Nuff said.  We turn around and decide to meet each other at 5:30 this afternoon at the Dowd Y to run.  (Any running buds checking this out, feel free to meet us in the regular spot.)  Actually, had to have the fully leaded coffee this morning to wake up.

Off to work early today.

7:32:42 AM