Mt. Pleasant Classical Academy

Last evening SK, MK and I checked out another canine kennel club’s beginners obedience class—-we will NOT be going back to that center with any puppy or dog.  We had heard about this place, #2, from one of the other canine clubs. #1, we visited 2 weeks ago.  Trainer #1 had complained to me about #2’s methods but I wanted to check the place out for myself; his descriptions were not off at all.  We walked in after the class began and quickly but quietly took seats.  This was a beginners class with both dogs and puppies. 

I was shocked though to see that every dog and puppy had on a prong collar including the 4 month old Béarnaise Mt Dog, and the two 8m old golden retrievers.  I once used a prong collar for a short time on my male German shepherd when he went through a rebellious period around 14m, so I’m not totally against them but I also know they are not needed for the vast majority of dogs, and definitely not for a 4 month old puppy.  There was also NO praise given when the pups and dogs were doing what they should be doing or at the end of an exercise.  No praise; I couldn’t believe it.  It was sad, but at least center #2 is an easy one to cross off the list.  Center #1 is the other extreme but I can live with that; no chokers, lots of food and praise, and never say no.  I do think there is a place for saying no, and a place for a choker but I can’t disagree with center #1’s approach totally to using food and giving lots of praise, so they are still very much on the list.  We visit another place on Thursday.

We came home to be happily greeted by our Brutus  Being a typical 11wk puppy he’s trying his teeth on everything, and everything is far game in his mind to be picked up and chewed.  He is also learning that hands and pant legs are not for biting or chewing on.  As I was putting our groceries away Brutus came over and very gently put his mouth on my pants legs, tugged, trying to get whatever attention he could get from me and looking up at me in a –look what I’m doing, pay attention to me, here I am, tug-tug, look at me….  I did a few sits and downs, and sit-stays with him, and played a little before returning to putting away groceries.  I can watch Brutus from the kitchen and he saw me looking at him.  He went over to the sofa and grabbed a wool hat one of the boys left there. Rather than dropping to the floor to chew the hat, he pranced around the family room, looking at me to see if I would chase him and take the item away.  Soon I had my hand on his collar, said “drop it”, which he did while wagging his tail.  He knew he had something he shouldn’t but he was certainly showing us his intelligence that he would get our attention, and play with him.  The evening still has me smiling at his antics.