I took Brito to his weekly ring prep class today. A miracle happened.
For two minutes and fifty three seconds, he stayed in the ring with me and focused on his job. He did not run off to visit dogs outside of the ring. He did not leave work to look for a promising spot to pee on (mark). He did not take his toy and zoom away. He interacted with me. He was perfect.
Considering I’ve only had Brito for about two months, I’d say he’s a pretty talented puppy to be able to train (not just exist) in a class environment. I do not take that attention span, focus, and willingness to stay engaged for granted. That is a gift, and I’m grateful.
Not all of his sessions were that great today, but I have no complaints. I have every expectation that the next few months will give me two steps forward and one step back; that’s more than enough to keep me excited.
Let’s remember that our babies are babies. Some grow up incredibly fast and will show you their amazing side right away. Others will take time, patience and a good deal of hard work before they can show you what they have to offer. That’s ok too.
Here’s Brito’s ring prep today. We worked on heeling, circling a cone, fronts, retrieves, and the very beginnings of his feet up on a disc. If you’re curious, the reason I’m positioning his head at different angles on the disc is to get him ready to do position changes. I’ve decided to do his on the disc.
I love his joy and his confidence! Brilliant work. As the owner of a too shy dog, I’m loving your book, too. Especially the part about stress.
I want a Ring Prep class in my area!