Dylan has a date!

So after last week when there was no puppy class – because the chosen puppies which didn’t include Dyls, were taking their Bronze Good Citizen award, we were back this week. And a bit late in posting as we’ve had all sorts of things going on this week with decorators and carpet fitters!

Aslan the Leonburger and Ruby the black lab passed, but Boo’s mum who was a bit miffed that her little on had been bumped off the test list had gone to watch the test.

Competitive mums at the school gates have nothing on the mums at puppy class let me tell you!

So turns out Ruby had three attempts before she did sit/stay. Boo’s mum was incandescent as Boo can do that as can Dyls – well unless something like a mop distracts her!

Our class has got smaller. It’s just Dylan and her fellow girl and members Boo and Molly, the Cavapoo and a new member Binks, a Spaniel.

Dylan couldn’t wait to get in. She and her bff’s Boo and Molly were jumping about in their usual fur blur. The other girls ignored Binks, but as is Dylan’s way, she was soon jumping around with the little Spaniel.

We started with a heel walk on lead and Dyls trotted along demurely. Then came sit and stay. We’ve been practising and Dyls and I have come up with a little strategy that works.

The trainer told us not to look at our dogs while they sit and we walk away from them. But Dylan and I do it our way, constant eye contact and I count on my fingers as Dyls watches and tilts her head from left to right – as if she is counting along with me.

The trainer came over. “Thank goodness, I have an older Welshie in my Tuesday advanced class so I know what they are like – stubborn, wilful and smart. ”

With that the minute was up and the trainer made a huge fuss of Dyls, even going so far as calling her gorgeous. Which considering what Dyls has done to the poor trainer – vomiting and peeing on her feet, pooing on the gate and generally being the naughtiest puppy in class, was quite a compliment.

In fact, I am beginning to think the reason we have not been entered is the trainer will miss Dylan too much on Monday nights.

Anyway while this was going on, Boo and Molly had decided to launch a rebellion. Those two were running all round the hall. Unlike Dyls, who always finds something to steal – think treats, toys, and the aforementioned mops and run around with them in her mouth, these two just run.

Like the naughty girl in class who decides to suddenly behave and watch while her friends she has egged on get into trouble, Dyls sat and watched them with a smug look on her face as if to say “You go girls, but you’ve nothing on me when I get going.”

In fact Dyls was so unimpressed by their rebellion, she had a scratch, did a noisy yawn and rolled over for a belly rub.

But we all know pride comes before a fall.

The next exercises went like a dream. The trainer heaping praise on Dylan. The Cavapoo’s refusing to do anything.

And then we did off lead walk round the room. It started well. Dylan doing her tortoise paced walk by my side. Until we got to the top end of the room, when Dyls decided she wanted to jump on a chair and snaffle two packs of treats from the trainers basket.

Yes she can hold more than one thing in her mouth. And she is quick. In a flash she had jumped down run up the hall to Molly and Boo dropped a packet of treats by them – much to their delight – and dropped the other packet by Binks and shot down the hall in a cross cross formation so we couldn’t catch her and back up to grab another packet.

At least she has the manners to share!

The trainer caught her. Put her back on the floor, Dyls with the pack of treats still hanging from her mouth and finally managed to wrest them from Dylan’s grasp.

“Let’s do it again”. Off we went, but Dyls was now bored, she was doing her own thing so once again I ended up being sent, not to the broom cupboard, but the kitchen. And once again Dylan didn’t give a damn I was missing!

Finally she padded over, stuck her head in the kitchen door as in “Oh that’s where you are”, spied a dustpan and brush – her second most favourite thing in the world after a mop – and again quick as lightening ran back into the hall throwing the brush up in the air and deftly catching it. Then proceeded to pull the bristles, spit them out and basically destroy the brush.

And that Molly and Boo is how it’s done!

Eventually we rescued the brush that will never sweep again, and got Dyls back on her lead.

The trainer was trying not to laugh. The others gave Dyls a round of applause. I am used to the weekly humiliation.

Class was over, but not before the news that Dylan WILL be taking her GC Bronze on November 20th.

That day is my late mums birthday, so I am hoping that’s a good omen.

So I am drinking Rioja and looking at the programme the trainer has given us to practice at home. Thankfully, the Rioja is on special so I have stocked up – in fact the shelves of Shenfield are bare!

If we pass – and it’s a BIG IF – we will have been in class for just over a year. On that basis the GC Silver should take us two years – mmm better see if the surrounding areas have that Rioja on special!