Mirra is going to Puppy Kindergarten - Paw Talk

**Scarlette** · #1 05-24-2005, 01:28 AM

Mirra starts puppy kindergarten next week! I go to the introductory meeting this Wednesday, then Mirra goes with me for the following 6 Wednesdays. We already went "school clothes" shopping and got a big girl collar and a new leash since I know they probably don't allow the retractable leashes.

Ok, not to sound like a dork, but I've never had to take my dogs to obedience classes. I've never had a problem and they've always learned the basics from me and were all well behaved. Mirra, on the other hand, is a stubborn little bully, as was Riley....but Mirra seems to be worse!

I've come to the conclusion that
A) All Bull Terriers are just plain stubborn
B) Jeff is not helping matters
C) ALL OF THE ABOVE!

What exactly should I expect here? I know they don't actually train the dog, they train the owner on how to work with the dog. Are we just going to learn basic stuff like sit, lay down, come, ect, or what?

Mirra knows "sit" but she refuses to lay down unless it's nap time and she's being a little brat about play biting and "come". I blame Jeff for it because he lets her get away with stuff that I don't allow. I've told him time and time again, when she's biting then IMMEDIATELY tell her NO. Don't let her chew on your fingers, wait a few minutes and tell her no. Consistency is key here! When you tell her "sit" or "come" then make her do it! Don't let her get away with it. She figures she doesn't have to listen to you because you don't really mean what you say!

She's got him wrapped around her paw and she knows it. It's gone so far as her humping him showing she's dominant over him.

He's disgusted with the whole thing, so I go through my above speech with him. It doesn't work, he doesn't listen!

Anyway, he can't go to this week's introductory meeting, but I'm dragging him to the next one for sure so he can talk to the trainer! If he doesn't listen to the trainer then I guess I'll keep Mirra away from him until I have her properly trained. What's the point of going through all of this if he doesn't follow through with what the trainer says!

***Jade*** · #2 05-24-2005, 03:07 AM

I hope all goes well for you! Be sure to keep us updated.

And smack Jeff for me for the inconsistency. Chris whines about the same things in Gumbo when he didn't stick to my training plan that would've prevented issues ...

velvetrabbit · #3 05-24-2005, 03:33 AM

Men! What is their problem? They don't think about what they're doing, then expect it to not be a problem??

Bah..

Good luck with the dog obedience. I remember I went once with my mum and our dachshund a number of years ago (the last time we had a dog). It seemed pretty boring to me (but I was like eight at the time).

RSbunny · #4 05-24-2005, 04:05 AM

Good luck Scarlette and Mirra! when we took Biscuit, it was adult dog training, but it was the basics but they also taugh us how to train our dogs, so we had to have the basics down pat for them every week (so by the end of the month they knew sit, stay, drop, come, and were learning to walk on a loose lead. The dogs also knew focus, which was excellent when it was all adult dogs and not all of them wanted to play, and to go to bed) but by the end of the month we had to show them a trick as well.
Biscuit enjoyed herself sooo much that by the second week she actually vomited from excitement!

Alex was really dragging his feet on going but he was very inconsistent with Biscuit as well so I dragged his butt out there (the training place was half an hour from where we lived before..an hour from here, we did an extra session with her last year and drove the hour every week) and he got so proud and so amazed that he really got into it! It helped heaps and while biscuit listens to me a lot more than Alex, it's due to his own fault but it did help out a lot. When we went for the second lot of training he came out twice with us and was really upset that he couldn't go the other two weeks!!

We had planned on taking her again in September, for her enjoyment as much as ours, but with an hour drive each way, an hour training session, no toilet facilities and the class we wanted to do is only run in September so I'd be 7 months pregnant I opted out of it...maybe next year

I'm sure you'll have a blast! I really enjoyed it and it's amazing how proud you get when your dog gets something!

ninja_smurtles · #5 05-24-2005, 06:49 AM

I have the same problem with Maria.
Indy jumps on the bed, she doesnt want him on the bed but when I tell him to get down she hugs him and says i am mean coz he gets this little sad face on him.
He chews her fingers and neck all the time but never me.
I do not know how she is gonna cope with both of them when I am not here.
I can imagine coming back from the UK and find that the dogs have taken over the house

Denise · #6 05-24-2005, 01:55 PM

Rhonda, good luck with the training classes.

I know I don't have a dog but I have done a lot of reading about training Bully breeds and from what I read, Bull Terriers are the most stubborn.

And you are right, consistency is important with training any dog but especially when you have a Bully. Not only is it frustrating but Mirra must be confused as well.

Let us know how her training goes.

indychinchick · #7 05-24-2005, 04:01 PM

Do you have film in the camera for those "first day of school" pictures? I'm sure you'll have a blast! Good luck with the training!

lixx · #8 05-24-2005, 04:05 PM

Good luck with your classes! I still have to get Dante to some soon.... Mostly because he needs help with socialization, proper socialization! I think alot of dogs lack these skills (and having seen alot more of them in my new line of work!) and would benifit from these classes. He (and alot of others) need better recall too.

**Scarlette** · #9 05-25-2005, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indychinchick


	Do you have film in the camera for those "first day of school" pictures?

RSbunny · #10 05-25-2005, 01:55 AM

OMG that's hilarious!!

But honestly I wish I had taken pictures of Biscuit in her training sessions but the people would think I was seriously nuts!

**Scarlette** · #11 05-25-2005, 03:06 AM

Hmm, I wonder if Mirra will be elected Prom Queen......

Right now she's in the running for dirtiest white puppy in the county. She was outside playing earlier today and decided to roll in the grass and dig in the black dirt.

She's an interesting shade of green/white/black/brown right now.

pihlaja · #12 05-25-2005, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarlette


	Right now she's in the running for dirtiest white puppy in the county. She was outside playing earlier today and decided to roll in the grass and dig in the black dirt. She's an interesting shade of green/white/black/brown right now.

Hey Rhonda, that's the joy of owning a white dog!

NOW, imagine Mirra doing that with KIRBY'S HAIR!

!!! Be thankful she has that smooth, sleek coat.

Nikki6496 · #13 05-25-2005, 09:05 AM

OH Joey graduated from Puppg Kindergarten a few weeks ago.

They basically start class with them socializing with the other dogs. You leave the leash on and just let them go.

Then they work on either sit or down. Then we had a potty break and after that the class would line up and she would hold your puppy and you would run like crazy towards the other side and call your puppy to come!

The first day was soooooo embarassing for me. Joey came and right before he got to my hand he started running around me in really fast circles just outta reach. Everyone was laughing and the trainer said well he's in running for the fastest puppy.... you just gotta get him to come to you!

OOOOOHHHH how embarassing.

I would be so mad if Ken let Joey get away with the things he's not supposed to do. I'm so lucky Ken completely agree's with his training. It may have helped that when he was younger he trained his own puppy.

Good luck with teaching Jeff how to be consistant. I'm sure Mirra will be easier to train!!!! MEN, why are they so difficult!