28/1/2000 0 Comments First Obedience ClassDear Auntie Hannah I thought you would be interested to hear about our first class. What a laugh! First of all we couldn’t understand why we were getting to go out again at seven o’clock. Our Mum is very good about taking us out lots during the day but, usually, after our teatime walkies, once she has got her bum on the settee, it does not move off until our pre-bedtime trip to the garden. So, there we were, off out again at 7.00, with our Alex too – even better, although I have to admit I felt rather concerned for her mental state at the time – she’d had a hard day, poor love – and we detected that she’d already had a glass before coming out. Not that we would judge, because we have been known to enjoy the occasional tipple ourselves. Unfortunately, we’ve had to resort to lapping it out of someone else’s glass or knocking over a bottle because Mum has never actually put any in our water bowl – odd that. So, off we went to this big room which was filled with friends-to-be. I announced myself with verve, vigour and great volume while Ronnie stood still and got excited just by looking. There were loads of different ones, all pedigrees except us, but we don’t care because we know we’re special cos Mum keeps telling us and that’s all that matters. The Japanese Akita was great. She immediately turned her back to let us sniff her and henceforward kept giving us knowing looks –either that or that strange expression is permanent. The Alsatian, Rottweiller and Bull Mastiff were all wimps and kept hiding under chairs or not doing what they were told. Mum was a bit nervous that we would be intimidated by them – huh, no chance. We are both very much in touch with our inner wolf and don’t give a monkey’s. I took a real fancy to a little cocker spaniel. She’s gorgeous but a bit shy – playing hard to get, I reckon. Ronnie seemed to be showing an excessive interest in the Rottweiller, a male, but we won’t worry about that yet. It’s probably just a phase and he’ll grow out of it, and even if he doesn’t, it’s cool – we come from an open and tolerant and, in itself, bizarre household anyway, so will accept any choice he makes, as long as he’s happy. So on to the fun. Lots of doing things together and some things one at a time. We did walking to heel – no sweat. Then we did sitting still while someone poked into our mouths, ears and paws – weird. Then it was being held down while Mum went to the end of the room and called us. Given that we could see that she had a treat in her hand, there was no way we weren’t going to her! Then we had to do ‘interfacing’ with the others, on and off the lead. We loved that, sussed out a few mates and a couple we may wish to avoid, including a yappy little Jack Russell (no self control). We then had to go back to Mum or Alex when they called us. Ronnie was really good at that but I have to admit that I got a little confused and went back to Alex, even though it had been Mum who called me. But then I made up for it when we were doing something called ‘Down’. Everyone seemed to have got the hang of it already but Ronnie and I hadn’t done it before. However, I just thought ‘Watch the others.’, so I soon got it – ishy. However, my dear brother could not get his head round it. He did his best but couldn’t quite grasp the fact that both ends have to be on the floor at the same time. ‘Sit’ he could do, head down to finger on the floor he could do but only with bottom in the air. Eventually he got to lying down and rolling over onto his back – not exactly what was expected. (Such a shame that intelligence is not evenly distributed between siblings, don’t you think?) By this time everyone was watching him, from their perfect ‘down’ positions, and Mum got a little embarrassed so the teacher said to move on. Just as we were having fun, however, we were told it was time to leave. At that point, the door opened and loads of grown up dogs came in for their class – apparently they are working for a certificate. That’ll be us one day.
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AuthorElderly Cornish woman of substance. Archives
April 2018
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