On a lighter note...
Yesterday I was particularly lucky and felt good enough to take Digby to his first puppy class. What can I tell you... There were other 13 dogs with their owners and 3 trainers. Digby was in heaven... all these people and animals to love! I wish I'd have photos, then you would understand immediately. Everyone was sitting down in a long row - with their dogs under or in front of their chair. They were sitting down patiently waiting for what was going to happen... except for one dog. That dog wanted to show his love for the world and also sample everyone's butt aroma. He was on a leash, but almost in the middle of the room, digging with his paws to get a hold of the trainer. It was my dog of course.
The biggest challenge of the class was for me to try to hold him or keep him from pulling on the leash because that caused him to choke (but still didn't stop him from pulling).
The first class teaches how to discourage dogs from unwanted behavior (by ignoring, then praising them) and also how to teach your dog to sit. Ha-ha. I'd teach my dog how to sit if he was in any way paying attention to what I'm saying or doing. It was futile. The trainer came over to help him and after trying a few times she tells me: "I think for the next week you should rather concentrate on teaching him not to jump on people"
Huh? Even the teacher is giving up on poor Digby. She also said we should teach our dog things as if he was 120lbs - taking the weight as a criterion for what we would not find pleasant. Well, I agree, but boy am I glad Digby will never reach that weight! I can always say: oh it doesn't matter, he is such a cute small dog.
At the end of the class I was considering paying the trainer to train my dog and then just have her give him back when he's all perfectly behaved. I'm lacking the funds for this... so it will be just us and Digby, the terrier (terror) again.
"No Digby. No. No. NO. NO!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Stop it! No! Quiet! No! Stop it!"
You get the picture...