Maisie and I completed puppy class at Petco in mid-June. Attending class, doing the homework, and giving the instructor my undivided attention is my comfort zone. Phil was a little tired by the third week of “well, Robert says…”. Robert being our trainer and as such the most important person in our lives for the moment. Our class was basically a private lesson after Luna, an albino French bulldog stopped showing up.
Maisie’s Puppy Class Certificate
Robert was/is very patient. Willing to answer any and all questions with regard to Maisie and our adjustment to puppy life. On graduation day, he informed us that his handwriting was terrible and he had given our certificate to a more artistic colleague to fill in. As we waited in the training area, Maisie slept on the floor. Class is tiring for pets and their people. I was ready to close my eyes, too. However instead, ever the eager student, I asked Robert to suggest the next class. Without hesitation, he responded, “The Advanced Class!”.
My puppy was going to skip a grade. My heart swelled with pride similar to celebrating my kids’ graduations. Robert explained that Maisie was so smart, and the intermediate class would bore her. I was beaming. When I got home that day, I told anyone who would listen that not only did we graduate from puppy class, but we were headed into the Advanced Class next week.
I woke up early on Tuesday in anticipation of class, and just maybe, Maisie was ready for her first walk of the day. After lunch, I gathered our belongings.
Leash and harness-check.
Full treat bag-check.
Water bottle-check.
The butterflies in my stomach asked whether or not Maisie was ready for The Advanced Class. Was I ready?
Our classmates are Winston and Baby, a toy poodle and an Airedale terrier respectively. Winston’s person is a young woman, stylishly dressed who exudes gentle serenity. Baby’s person is an aging hippie who looked like he had just come down from a camping trip in the mountains. Lady, a boisterous golden retriever, was signed up for our class. Her people, a mom and tween daughter, simultaneously overwhelmed and embarrassed, stood to the side as Robert attempted to calm the lunging and barking Lady. Ultimately, she was counseled out of the group class and into privates.
The main objective of our class is to maintain our dog’s attention amidst distractions. Tuesday afternoons are busy at Petco. The other big shift in this class from our previous experience is that Robert will rely more heavily on us to do the training. Our pups, all roughly the same age, remain their loving, exuberant selves as their people begin to reveal more of their personalities as the degree of difficulty increases. Winston is ever cheerful and noisy. His gentle, serene person begins to repeat the commands over and over as Winston regards her with several tail wags. Robert reminds her that when we repeat ourselves the impact is lost. Our words become part of the general cacophony. Baby is good-natured and observing the antics of his person with amusement. His person barks the commands while running his fingers through his thinning hair until Robert suggests that Baby may need a walk around the aisles to regain focus. Maisie alternates between eagerly jumping towards any human, convinced they want to get to know her and watching me with sheepdog intensity. In my attempt to perfectly execute Robert’s every suggestion, I find myself overthinking it all and awkwardly tangled up in her leash.
We love dogs for the trust they place in us and their unconditional love. It is us, the humans who bring a series of complicated and conflicting messages in our attempts to communicate and connect. Of course Maisie was ready for the more advanced class, she will just have to be patient as I become trained.