Yah, maybe I should train my dogs

I realized recently that my web-surfing, blog-reading habit started to encroach on some of my other leisure-time activities. The one that was suffering the most? Dog training. Oops.


Well, at least I realized it, and I’ve been training more lately. I’ve identified some agility and obedience trials that I want to attend in the fall, and I’ve started training for them.

The focus of my work is Ziggy. Next up: earn our Beginning Novice title (a new AKC obedience title starting next month!) and start to seriously train in Agility.

For obedience this means a renewed dedication to training in new places. On Tuesday night we trained outside of our local Home Depot. It’s fun to watch people’s expressions when they see me working with my dogs. It’s also nice to hear comments like, “wow, he’s a good boy,” and “isn’t he well trained.”

I also started to feel like a guerrilla dog trainer (like the guerilla gardeners movement). I grab my dogs and my training bag and head to a public place to train (insert mission impossible music here). Perhaps it’s sad that this is exciting for me - but such is my life.

My plan is to train in 3 new places every month. I think I’ll really see a difference in Ziggy’s trial performances as he gets used to focusing on me and feeling safe in strange new environs. I noticed an improvement this time over last time we went out to train.  I think Ziggy's slowly plodding his way towards becoming an Obedience dog.   Not exciting, but headed in the right direction....

I’ll let you know what other “guerilla” places I find to train!