Train Your Dog Photo Contest

January 26 /10

Our friends Niamh and Ambrose are holding

a very important event called

The Train Your Dog Photo Contest.

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers has made January National Train Your Dog Month. So to mark the occasion, Niamh and Ambrose are asking all their friends to submit photos of them training with their parents. It can be a photo of you practicing a trick or a skill or obedience. See Niamh's blog for details.
I decided to submit a picture of Mama and me practicing my Sit-Stays at street corners. I walk with a very long lead so I'm usually several feet in front of Mama, unless she has me heeling. That means I reach the street corner before she does. So rather than reeling me in at each corner like she used to, she's teaching me to sit down at the curb and wait til she's standing beside me, at which point she tells me it's "ok" to cross the street. Soon I will learn how to do this at driveways too.

This is an important rule to learn for several reasons, one being in case I break from my lead. Hopefully, I'll remember to sit down at the curb and not cross the street by myself.

Mama's making this rule apply to driveways too because sometimes people dart out of their garages really quickly and we want to make sure the coast is clear before I cross.
Right now I get a treat for my Sit-Stays on command. Eventually, I will move on to Sit-Stays without a command, and then without treats. Although I will always get "Good Boy" praise to keep me proud of myself and motivated.

I like learning new rules. They keep me well-socialized. And it's important for me to know what's expected of me. Rules also give me something to think about which keeps me alert and smart.

So if you're in training of any kind, you may want to enter the contest too. Deadline for entries is midnight, Jan. 31.

Have fun training and good luck!