Harley's obedience classes

[Sasso]

Hi Everyone,

I just realized I haven't posted about Harley's classes since before we started, so I wanted to give everyone an update on Harley's obedience training.

First of all, the trainer is wonderful!!! Laurie owns a rottie (among her other motley crew:D ), so she is familiar with them and really loves them. We have been going to class for 6 weeks now (7 not counting last week), and the change in Harley is AWESOME!!!!

Since we live in a lower-populated area, we started out with 2 private classes since no one else had asked about training yet, but our last 4 classes have been with 2 WILD labs.

Harley is such a fast learner, so the wild labs have been the best part of our training lately, because then we can work on him paying attention to me instead of to the wild labs.;) Of course the wild labs aren't quite so wild now, but compared to Harley they are.:D :D

And, of course, I have been working with him at home in between classes. He's so cool and funny, I just love him! Harley sits with hand signal as well as verbal, stays (pretty reliably), downs and stays (I had trouble teaching him "down" on my own), comes "front", and heels without paying attention to the labs. Now we are working on the "finish" around behind me. Through all this, I have been working on "never-mind" (when he's staring) and "watch me". I LOVE working with him, and he's so forgiving of me being an inexperienced trainer.:)

Thanks for letting me yak about my sweetie.:D :)

[DNeff]

Congrats on your success with class. Sounds like you have really put in a lot of hard work. Keep it up!! No doubt you will be graduating at the head of the class.

Good luck with the rest of your classes!

Dawn
U-CD Cammcastle's Mystic Riven CDX OAC OGC NA NAJ NJC TT CGC
http://members.aol.com/dplantier
http://members.aol.com/rottweilerworld

[Judi W]

Isn't it fun? And makes you so proud too. I know Harley is also proud because dogs do love to show off.

[Sasso]

Thanks! Yes, I do work very hard at doing my part to teach Harley what I want him to do. It is sooo much fun working with my boy. I can't believe I missed out on it all those years with my little guy.:(

The lab owners are jealous and keep asking me if I want to trade dogs.:p :D The trainer often uses Harley for the example or to do something new because he is so calm and laid back.

Yes, we are so proud.;) :D

[LynnS]

Congratulations to you and Harley!

This is my first experience seriously training as well and I am having so much fun. It is so rewarding when that light clicks on and they actually *get* what you are asking of them. Bella is still a puppy but as I am finding that as we progress, she catches on to new behaviors faster...

What I find most amusing is that she will *offer* whatever new behavior she has learned in hopes of getting a reward. We recently taught her to play dead so you can imagine how funny it is to be in the kitchen cooking and having her throw herself on the ground and roll on her back (not that she gets rewarded for it but it's still cute)

[SABELLESMOM]

:D Congratulations, Sasso and LynnS! Harley and Bella sound like they, typical of Rotties, love to please and work hard to do it!

It's tons of fun to teach a Rott and they often "shine" in class! The Rotties in ANY of the classes I've taken/watched, always do well. Labs learn too, once they get the hang of it and stop jumping around. But there are a couple of other breeds I know I'd never want to own.