Working Girl

We have attended 2 classes so far. Since there are not a lot of Chesapeake breeders in the Northwest, some how Sienna is related to the other 3 puppies in her class. Not only that, her grandpa lives there with his girlfriend, so really every Saturday feels more like a family reunion then work. But it is work even though right now she is still very much a puppy who loves to play, play, play, she is learning a thing or two and so am I.





So when training a puppy there are words and actions that you use to get them to do what you want. Since I am new at this I have to remind myself what they are each time we “work”. One of the things is when we are walking and about to sit, I am supposed to take 3 steps, ending with my left foot, then telling her to sit while pushing down on her bottom with my left hand, pulling up on her leash with my right hand, then patting her with my left while telling her “good girl”. Then when we begin to walk again, I say “heel Sienna” and begin walking with my left foot (right foot will mean something different – I will learn that later). Unfortunately, I am left/right challenged and have been my whole life. So I realized that there is a good chance that I may have messed up my dog because I can’t seem to remember to take off on my left foot half the time and the other half it probably looks like I too am just beginning to walk on a leash, I’m stumbling and pulling and choking and whining. But luckily my trainer, I mean Sienna’s trainer is very patient with Sienna (and me) and with time, patience, and lot’s of practice I may actually get trained, I mean Sienna might actually get trained.