Peggy's last class was the first week of March. Not surprisingly, she couldn't contain her excitement when we turned off the highway and she realized where we were going.
For the first 15 minutes, not even high value treats were more interesting to her than the sight and smell of old and new friends. But she eventually settled in, and we had a really good hour, even venturing outside at one point for some "real life" walking practise. I could see our home sessions paying off and some maturity kicking in. Her attention span is notably longer.
If you're heading back to class soon, or thinking of trying one for the first time, you will likely need to sign a waiver upon arrival. I wish I'd left Peggy in the car while we did this. An excited poodle + paperwork is not a fun combo.
Physical distancing was no problem. We all wore masks, one end of the arena was open to outside, and our trainer set up well spaced stations for each of us to use as a home base. She's also limiting class size. Peggy was just one of three dogs.
I will say that the masks are doable, but not without their challenges. All the dogs were fine with them, but communication in general is just a bit trickier. And I found myself overheating really quickly. So I recommend bringing water.
Overall, I'm so happy for this return to normalcy, despite all the not-so-normal elements. And with proper precautions, it feels very low-risk in the grand scheme of things.
Bonus: Now Peggy's too tired to even beg for noodles:
![467843]()
For the first 15 minutes, not even high value treats were more interesting to her than the sight and smell of old and new friends. But she eventually settled in, and we had a really good hour, even venturing outside at one point for some "real life" walking practise. I could see our home sessions paying off and some maturity kicking in. Her attention span is notably longer.
If you're heading back to class soon, or thinking of trying one for the first time, you will likely need to sign a waiver upon arrival. I wish I'd left Peggy in the car while we did this. An excited poodle + paperwork is not a fun combo.
Physical distancing was no problem. We all wore masks, one end of the arena was open to outside, and our trainer set up well spaced stations for each of us to use as a home base. She's also limiting class size. Peggy was just one of three dogs.
I will say that the masks are doable, but not without their challenges. All the dogs were fine with them, but communication in general is just a bit trickier. And I found myself overheating really quickly. So I recommend bringing water.
Overall, I'm so happy for this return to normalcy, despite all the not-so-normal elements. And with proper precautions, it feels very low-risk in the grand scheme of things.
Bonus: Now Peggy's too tired to even beg for noodles:
