Dog Obedience

Let's face it, if you are going to have an animal, they should be trustworthy and obedient.

This is whether they are a canine or equine.  Years ago I spent more than one summer attending Obedience Classes with two of my dogs, Missy and Nike.  I learned so much about training dogs and having them walk 'nice' without pulling on a leash.

They sat, they came, they walked with or without a leash next to me.

I went so far as to teach them key words and a few hand signals.

One of the hand signals and words saved Missy's life.

My husband was never one for training his hunting hounds in this manner.  He thought that it de-tracted from their 'hunting prowess'.  Me?  I argued that it didn't and that it would benefit them.

After the fiasco of the other day when he couldn't really catch Thelma or Louise easily, he surprised me over coffee this morning.

*Would you teach Thelma and Louise some obedience?* he asked.

I was thunderstruck.  I nodded.

*Jeff's dogs are so good,* he continued [Jeff is a hound man who raises champions].

I smiled, *A well trained dog is a pleasure to hunt with, ... this dragging me around on the leash through the woods sucks.  I hate it.*

*Well you know what you are doing.  Would you do it?*

I was flabbergasted!  YES!

*Of course.*  I love training, it is a great challenge to communicate properly to an animal.  

Now to see if I can recall my old skills!

This could be fun, keeping my blog updated with training Thelma & Louise.

First session begins in 10 minutes.
A 50 ft cord and one dog in the meadow.  15 minutes of teaching the command 'come'.
Each dog will have their own command words and release words.  But for today, it is just to get them to understand that they need to keep an eye on ME and come when called.

Update:
Louise is a bit more bull headed.  She wanders and doesn't pay attention.  It took her less than 10 minutes to figure out 'Come.'  But by the end of our 20 minute walk, she was paying attention!  Good Girl!
Thelma is a pleaser.  She watches YOU and keeps her learned within minutes that unless she sits after being called, she wouldn't get a nice brush of the hand on her side for reward.

Both pups learned instantly that jumping was not allowed. 
I am very pleased with their intelligence.
Hubby added that he wouldn't mind me teaching them to heel.
...Doin' the happy dance!