Mason Obedience Class #4
We skipped obedience class last week again, I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I haven’t been feeling good for a really long time. Maybe I’m burnt out from school…
This week’s objectives was to practice controlled walking to the point where Mason would recognize and listen to the word “heel” and then to progress to walking nicely on the leash, actually heeling on command.
But, the class was full of newbies with only a handful of people who had been there for several weeks so it was more of a review, but much more structured than any class we’ve been to thus far. We started from the beginning and worked on the basics and then we each went on to what our dogs specifically needed to work on. Mason excelled at sit, stay, come and look. But, laying down is still beyond him. He’s never been a fast learner so I’m hoping persistence over time will finally reach him and he’ll get it.
The instructor did show us how to practice heeling. We are to put a treat in our fist right beside our leg that we want him to walk next to and let him follow that hand around while repeating “heel” the whole time, so he begins to recognize and listen to the word. The only problem? Mason chews on your hand the whole time until it feels raw and sore. 
Hopefully this will be one he learns relatively quickly…