The Boon of Training

Since Boon first came into our home, my desire has been for him to become the very best dog that he can be. As Boon has been growing and learning, my husband and I have also been learning: learning how to communicate with Boon, what not to do, what we do not want Boon to do, etc.

Boon is such a sweet puppy. There are times when he pushes the limits and/or ignores a command, but he generally desires to please. At home, he is spirited but well-behaved. Outside of our home, as we found out when we took Boon to the vet, the stimulations and distractions have a greater affect on him than his desire to please.

Because of this, we decided to enroll Boon in obedience training. We knew that he needed more exposure to other dogs and people. Obedience training would provide the opportunity to fulfill both scenarios as well as lay a wonderful foundation for Canine Good Citizenship training.

Last Thursday was Boon's first obedience class. Prior to class, I took Boon on a long walk, wanting him to be somewhat tired as he embarked on this new endeavor. The facility where Boon will be training also houses a doggy daycare and a boarding facility, so upon our arrival at the facility there were many doggy distractions. As we drove to the facility, Boon seemed tired, but on arrival he immediately went into full-force-ahead mode...he whined and strained on his leash, pulling toward all the smells and sounds.

There were a few dogs in the entryway; he went crazy...he pulled his way toward them and greeted them (whether they wanted to be greeted or not), he barked and whined and lunged. He really could not contain himself. I know after our vet experience I should not have been surprised, but I was...I felt like I had not prepared him sufficiently to go into this new experience, and yet we work on his commands almost everyday...I kept telling myself that this is what the obedience training is all about: giving him this exposure, allowing him to get used to other environments and teaching him to obey when he is out of his comfort zone.

There are two other dogs in Boon's class: a two-year old boxer and a tiny corgi/jack russell mix. They are both very sweet dogs, neither of them as spirited as Boon. Boon continued to whine and pull, wanting to be near them...they just stared at him. Once class began, the trainer had to consistently raise her voice so that she could be heard over Boon's whining and yelping. "Well", I thought, "it is obvious that this is exactly what Boon needs!" As class progressed, Boon became a little more comfortable. We were able to work on SIT amidst distraction, and he slowly began to focus on me more than the other dogs and people.

After class, the trainer recommended that I get an easy-walk harness for Boon. I have limited arm strength, and Boon gets stronger by the day, so it will be very helpful to have some added support which, hopefully, will aid in deterring the lunging and pulling. I apologized for Boon's loud shenanigans...the trainer kindly said: "He is not a problem. He will be a star student - I can tell". This was a great reassurance.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, a lot more learning to do together. While Boon needs this exposure, I need a huge dose of patience. I want to do this with Boon. I am confident that the rewards will outweigh the struggle and that all that wonderful energy can be channeled to produce amazing results.