When I first took Rion to puppy training classes, I expected to do more training with him afterward. The instructor told me about the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, and I though we would just naturally progress until we took it. Unfortunately, some of the criteria for the CGC test involves being handled, and, as a puppy, Rion tended to go into melt-downs when he was handled. It was as if most of his body was a no-touch zone. With the concurrence of the trainer, I decided to work on some of his issues on my own, since I’ve had some success with desensitizing horses.
I was actually astonished when he wasn’t booted from the dog groomer’s after his first, second or nth trip. After her first attempt, we did agree that I would do his nails, since he had a panic attack when she tried. For quite a while, working on his nails mean clipping one nail in a session before doing the fun stuff. Now I can do a full paw at one time! (We had one adult rehomed dog that had to be sedated to have her nails done, and I didn’t want to go through that again.)
When Rion was three, I took him to visit one puppy training class being taken by his friend, Bits. We were doing “pass the puppy” and Rion accepted having his teeth, ears, and paws checked out by people he didn’t know as well as any of the puppies. When Bits’ owner asked me in January to bring Rion to some of the more advanced classes so there would be enough students, I agreed.
Our most recent course, completed Sunday, was to prep for the Canine Good Citizen test. I wasn’t too concerned about the sit, stay, heel and come commands. Rion finds most of the obedience stuff to be rather entertaining. We had never worked on down on our own, since I figured he was already close enough to the ground. Down was a challenge, and I had to drill it with him extensively. I also had to learn to stay relaxed and happy when I asked. Like many high strung dogs (and horses) Rion tends to pick up on tension in his handler and shut down.
We had the option of taking the test on the last day of class. I tried hard not to get tense. The woman who was taking the test with her little miniature schnauzer bitch reassured me: “Don’t worry, you’ll do great. You should see the way he looks at you when you are working with him.” (She took this photo of Rion looking up at me.) The trainer told me to imagine I had drunk three glasses of wine.
The official test was easier than the practice tests we had been taking in the preceding classes. Rion passed. I am very proud of him. Rion is now officially a Good Dog.
