First night of kindergarten

Although Steve and I took Dionne to a class in December, that was the last session of a Kinderpup course that had been meeting for 3-4 months. Tonight was the first class of the new session, which we'll be in till mid-April. Now it feels like school's really begun. 

Four other dogs were in tonight's group. Two little ones like Dionne were in the care of first-time puppy raisers. Then there were two older females who looked like they might be close to 6 months old. They must have joined the last group when it was well underway; their puppy raisers must feel like it's worth attending the baby class for a while longer. Other little ones are likely to join in along the way. What's amazing about the Kinderpup classes is how dramatically the dogs change in the course of it -- from crazily distracted babies who know nothing to dignified animals who look a lot like civilized full-grown dogs.

Tonight we worked on the most basic of the basics.  Bob had us start by sitting on the floor and cradling our charges. In this position, the pups are on their backs, restrained from wriggling away. It's about the most submissive posture imaginable, and it tends to have a calming effect. Dionne's heart was pounding and her tail, though pinned beneath her, was quivering with excitement. She squeaked and moaned for a long time, but her wild initial reaction to being in the group gradually subsided. 

The format is to go around the circle, with each puppy and handler demonstrating whatever Bob wants to work on. Invariably, we start with "Let's go" (the CCI equivalent of "heel.") Dionne's and my form in this picture is terrible; the leash is taut, which is what we're supposed to be avoiding above all. But it was a momentary lapse. For her age, Dionne walks on the leash better than any puppy we've ever had, and Bob looked impressed (at least until she started chewing on her leash and barking at me.) 

We also practiced "Down"s. Steve and I aren't sure that she truly understands the word, but when we use a beef-jerky tidbit to lure her into position, she responds beautifully and stays down for a while. 

People seize the opportunity to ask questions about issues that are troubling them.  I did that tonight.  Tomorrow I'll report what I asked about and how Bob responded.