Oh sss…sausages!

We’ve been practising. After last weeks news that we have been entered for our Bronze Good Citizen award, Dyls and I are on a mission.

So it was with determined optimism we went into puppy class.

Dylan as usual had to do her meet and greet with everyone.

Not just the pupsters in her class, but those leaving the earlier class.

They all now know her and cry out “Oh here comes Dylan”.

What was the quote JFK said “I’m the man that accompanied Jackie Kennedy to Paris”.

Oh how I can relate, as that’s how I feel when I go anywhere with Dylan.

So after a protracted meet and greet, we remembered that Boo the cavapoo was on holiday this week, and Molly’s mum still grieving for little Maisie- see last weeks post- had decided to give class a miss tonight.

Dylan was without her girl band. But hey, Aslan the Leonberger was back, and despite flirting shamelessly with Nico the pointer last week, Dyls decided to turn her full attention to Aslan.

And of course, unlike last time, there was no Boo in the picture to cramp her style.

So we start. Sit and stay for one minute. Now this is our big problem area. Dyls gets bored after about twenty seconds and being a typical nosy Welshie, gets distracted easily and is more interested in what everyone else is doing.

Actually, that’s a polite way of putting it. Dylan tries to put the other puppies off their game.

But tonight…she sat like a little Welshie statue and didn’t as much as blink!

Yay go us!

Off lead recall and she smashed it – Ok it was at Dylan’s usual tortoise pace – but she did it.

Onto the gate and again a perfect performance.

Walk to heel round the room and she trotted along like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.

The trainer had a huge grin on her face. She must have been thinking her 100 per cent record of getting puppies through this award was safe.

Have aliens stolen my puppy?

Meanwhile, Aslan the object of Dylan’s desire was having a nightmare. He wouldn’t do a thing and just kept wanting to run over to Dylan- who is not at all in season, it must be her natural allure!

Like any teenage girl though, the minute he came on strong, she started playing hard to get and gave him a look of such disdain when he did a wee by the gate.

Which was I feel, given Dylan’s past behaviour in that area – think poo gate literally – somewhat hypocritical.

Anyway it was all going rather well. In fact it was going excellently – big ticks on everything so far.

And then we did the exercise where your puppy sits in front of you, still on the lead, and you walk backwards and call them to you.

It was now 45 minutes into the class. And Dylan’s boredom threshold had obviously been reached.

She sat, she lie down, she slid across the floor in her famous mop move. Belly on the floor, legs akimbo.

She stood up, she shook herself and then looking straight at the trainer, did the biggest burp ever! And wow this dog can burp loudly!

Such a lady!

The trainer visibly sagged. “You are a little toad, Dylan” she said as once again her record was back under threat.

Dylan stuck her nose in the air and bounced joyously back to our seat.

Final task was off lead recall round the room.

It started so well.

Dylan trotting beside me, until we got to where the trainers dog was sitting. Of course Dyls got distracted.

The other trainer stepped in and gave me a couple of slices of sausage to tempt Dyls back on the right path.

Now Dylan likes sausages. We often go to a cafe near us that has chopped up pieces of sausages for dogs. But it’s not a treat she gets every day.

Well Dylan zoomed straight back to the task in hand.

“Let’s do it once more please” said the trainer.

So off we went on our second lap.

Now we all know Welshies are smart little dogs….

Dyls beside me, ignored the trainers dog. This was going so well.

Then faster than Usain Bolt off the blocks, Dylan zoomed over to the table, leapt into the air and snatched the plastic bowl of sausages.

She raced over to the other puppies, sausages flying here there and everywhere, who thought their birthdays had come at once and a huge puppy sausage fest ensued.

At least Dylan believes in sharing I guess!

It was chaos. In the middle of it all Dylan sat smiling looking very pleased with herself. And naturally, she had managed to snaffle quite a few sausages.

The trainer picked up the empty bowl.

“I think I need a drink after that.”

You and me both.

So tonight I am drinking Prosecco as there was some cause for celebration and Dylan is picking at her chicken and rice. Clearly the unexpected sausage supper filled her up.

And I am thinking what gift to get the trainer after Dylan and I tarnish her unblemished record!