Terriers – The Bart Simpsons of Dog School

[Geordie]

I had a rocky beginning with Puppy Geordie.  There was plenty of biting and tantrums but not as much learning as I had hoped. The local obedience school accepted puppies as young as six months old, but I sneaked and got him in at five.  I  had never taken a dog to school before, and I naively thought the classes themselves would help with my problems.  Ha! Taking a troublesome terrierist to obedience classes, however, will provide  you with many opportunities to be embarrassed by your dog and pointed out as negative examples in your class.

In our group, there was a pretty little Bichon named Angel.  She was a shy girl, but Geordie has the biggest crush on her.   Some days, we would have to do “Come!” exercises where a classmate would hold our dogs as we stood across the room and called them.  Whenever our turn came, and I would call Geordie, he would swerve past me and head over to Angel to play.

When the humans were supposed to walk in a circle with our dogs heeling beside us, Geordie would pull and pull until he could heel beside Angel and her human.  One day, Angel ended up behind us in the circle.  Geordie heeled to  me - but facing backwards while hopping on his hind legs.  (Technically he was still doing the exercise....) 

After that incident, the teacher singled us out as an example.  She took Geordie’s leash from me to demonstrate the correct way to make your dog heel.  To her dismay, despite her more practiced dog training techniques, he behaved the exact same way for her:   hopping across the room on his back feet.  Her parting comment as she handed the leash back was:

"In a controlled walk, it is actually best if all four feet remain on the ground."

[rosco]

oh! Now I understand, you are jealous OF the stuffed puppy getting Mom's attention, NOT of someone else touching your beloved toy!

 (BOL!)

[Geordie]

That's funny - you don't tell off Daddy, you yell at the other fur!

Actually, I secretly hate that brown puppy because Mom sometimes pretends it is a real puppy, and I get jealous.

[rosco]

No, I can't help you with that, Geordie. You must really love your stuffed puppy. I'm not protective of my toys or food at all, or of my humans, but if Daddy plays with another fur to the point that I feel I am being excluded, I will tell off the other fur.

[Geordie]

Ooh, such good insights, Rosco!  Are you a doggie psychiatrist?  (If so, perhaps you can help  me with this jealousy issue I have with my stuffed, brown puppy..)

[rosco]

Well, we are supposed to socialize our humans, right?

(Even though they think it's their job to socialize US!)

(BOL!)

[Geordie]

Rosco, I have to agree with you!  Whenever a dog gets loose in this neighborhood, you can usually find him or her right outside of our door crying for me to come and play.  I have a really outgoing personality.  (Mom, on the other hand, is a total wall flower.  I sure had my work cut out for me when I met her!)

[rosco]

Tee Hee, Geordie, you must have been so funny to see! You would be a fun pup to play with!

[Geordie]

You should go ahead and give it a try.  It will keep you in blog posts for ages!