Leaning what to know!

Saturday we drove up to Sylmar to pick up Dylan from her three night kennel stay.  To say she was excited to see us is an understatement.  As others picked up their dogs, I noticed the same theme for all the dogs and owners.  It's hard to tell who is more excited, the pups or the people.  Jumping, licking and all that excitement makes you feel great.  Hey, they do recognize us, they do miss us.

Then it was time for some obedience training with all the pups in the 9 to 11 month range.  While listening to Yvette, it is very clear who these classes are for and it isn't the dogs.  Even experienced raisers need guidance because every dog is different.  Each has their own personality and intelligence level that puppy raisers have to adapt to.  Then this constant reminder to the raiser, "Don't look at your dogs while giving them commands.  Blind people don't do that."  "Don't over correct your dog because blind people don't do that."  Keeping in mind that these over zealous, cute and rambunctious dogs are not ours to keep, but ours to raise and train.

We did basic stuff; sit/stays, down/stays and the afore mentioned formal COME!  Just once, Dylan went from her down to rolling over on her back and wanting to be scratched.  Cute, but not acceptable.  Each dog went through their paces with guidance from Yvette to the handlers as to what they did well and what they need to improve on.  Dylan killed the formal come.  Good girl!!!

An ok sit.  Needs to be facing forward.

Ooh, look over there...

Then it was time to meet some of the other raisers and we were fortunate enough that Dylan's sibling brother, Darwin, was also there.

Darwin. Notice how calm his raisers are...

Then it was off to lunch with Nancy and a dog she was sitting for, a Black Lab named Bravo.  Bravo is an eleven month old Lab and very well behaved.

Bravo, doing what he is supposed to do.

Dylan sitting under Chris' chair, looking adorable.

Seeing the other dogs and raisers gives you great confidence it what you are doing.  No one is perfect.  No one has all the answers and besides we are all there to learn.  What a great day!