Daisy's Graduation and Prize

I thought I'd add a brag about Daisy. She'll turn 1 year old on Sunday, Apr 29.

We went through puppy kindergarten last Fall, and she was very wild and didn't seem to learn much except maybe getting a little better on the 'stay' command. I had already taught her sit, stay, and come pretty well before we started.

A couple of weeks ago, we finished Beginning Obedience class, and she did great! She got a 98 out of 100! And, she won Best Trick for the whole class (about 25 dogs)! I actually had her do 3 tricks, Play Dead (AKA "BANG!"), Rollover, and Shake hands (which we call the Sign of Peace, from church). She did them all wonderfully. I was so proud of her! The judge for that "event" made the comment on her sheet that Daisy should be in the circus. When she played dead, she didn't just do her normal flopover, she literally straightened out her legs, too, like she had rigor mortis!

Her biggest problem has always been heeling, and the last couple of weeks of class, it finally sunk in with her that she was supposed to be focusing on me and staying with me, as opposed to charging off toward all the other dogs. During the test, she jumped up a couple of times, but stayed right with me and watched me the whole time.

She is just so smart -- I honestly think that she could learn just about anything if I had the patience and the creativity to teach her.

Ok, braggings over. Thanks for giving me the opportunity!

Congrats Daisy! You must be so proud...you're both stars!:rah: -Natalie

Way to go Daisy, you smart girl.

:jump:

Well done Daisy :rah:

Awww, Daisy, good job!!! You made your mom proud! :rah:

Good job Daisy!!! :rah:

Well done Daisy :mexwav:

That is fantastic she did so well in her obedience class but I am asounded at the play dead! How would one ever teach a dog that! Impressive Daisy, your one talented lady who should think about a film career!

We taught her to roll over on her side and lay her head down on the floor when we pointed at her and said Bang! We did this by luring her over and into position with a treat several times. (It's much easier to teach this if she already knows the down command. )

The straightened-out -legs thing was really just a fortuitously timed random thing. She's only done it this way about 3 times in her life. Once during our graduation, and once at my parents' house (and once at home). It's hilarious to see her. She normally just flops over limp as a dishrag and lays there rolling her eyes up at me until I say OK and she jumps up to get her treat. But those few times, she was literally laying on her side with her 4 legs stuck straight out stiff as a poker! I think maybe she was extra keyed up or something, but it was very appropriate given the trick she was doing! I don't know how I would actually try to teach her to do that intentionally. If I was really vigilant when she happened to do it, I could treat her extra and maybe it would stick, but it would be very tough.


Thanks for all the nice messages, everyone! I figured I could brag to you all and you would understand!