Sometimes you wonder how well your puppies are learning what you are trying to teach them. You work with them everyday, teaching them things like "sit" and "stay" and "go inside." But sometimes they get distracted. Sometimes, they want to get you to play with them and test you by running back into the yard and looking at you, hoping you will chase after them. This weekend, we had the first test of how well Miss B and Mr. C were learning what we were teaching them.
We went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to celebrate Grandma's birthday. Miss B and Mr. C have been wanting to explore past the end of their yard into the driveway behind their townhouse for months. Until now though, they hadn't been able to because their puppy shots weren't finished. This time, we walked them down the driveway after they did their business in the yard. We didn't think much of it, but then later in the afternoon it happened. Grandpa was going outside for something, and as quick as a flash the puppies darted out the door. Without a leash. Or a person. By the way, puppies are as fast as lightning- even faster than little kids.
We went running outside after them. Visions of them running at top speed down the driveway and out into the street flashed through our heads. When Mom got past the yard, she saw them about halfway down the driveway casually smelling the neighbor's fence- no sense of urgency. She stopped running and just walked toward them slowly- so as not to make them think this was going to be a game of chase. Miss B looked up at Mom with a big pittie smile on her face. Mom, who almost never raises her voice with them, told them very loudly to go back inside now. They took off running toward the house. They ran right past Dad. They ran right past Grandma and Grandpa without even slowing down. They went straight to the back door and sat down until Mom got there to open it.
And that is why we train our dogs. Apparently, they are learning.
Pitbulls are not well received in shelters. In some areas, they are euthanized without even having any attempts made to find their owners. Training is not just to make your dogs do neat tricks. It isn't to be mean. Training them can save their lives. Training them keeps them safe from people and an environment that aren't always safe. For pitbulls, training is even more important. They aren't always given much of a chance, even if they are the most lovable dogs ever. Too often, they are judged by what they look like, not by how they really are.
We got very lucky this weekend. If we hadn't been working with them from the time we brought them home, it could have ended very differently.
We were very proud of how well they listened. They totally made us look good.
We don't have any pictures of them getting out- for the obvious reason that the camera was the last thing on our minds. So here are two pictures for a perspective on how much they've grown instead.
They grow so fast. The top pictures was taken the night that we brought them home. Notice how they both fit in the puppy bed together with room to spare. The picture below was taken a few days ago. We stopped using it as an actual bed a while back. They only just lounge on it when Mom is cooking now. I think it's time for a new bed.
We went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to celebrate Grandma's birthday. Miss B and Mr. C have been wanting to explore past the end of their yard into the driveway behind their townhouse for months. Until now though, they hadn't been able to because their puppy shots weren't finished. This time, we walked them down the driveway after they did their business in the yard. We didn't think much of it, but then later in the afternoon it happened. Grandpa was going outside for something, and as quick as a flash the puppies darted out the door. Without a leash. Or a person. By the way, puppies are as fast as lightning- even faster than little kids.
We went running outside after them. Visions of them running at top speed down the driveway and out into the street flashed through our heads. When Mom got past the yard, she saw them about halfway down the driveway casually smelling the neighbor's fence- no sense of urgency. She stopped running and just walked toward them slowly- so as not to make them think this was going to be a game of chase. Miss B looked up at Mom with a big pittie smile on her face. Mom, who almost never raises her voice with them, told them very loudly to go back inside now. They took off running toward the house. They ran right past Dad. They ran right past Grandma and Grandpa without even slowing down. They went straight to the back door and sat down until Mom got there to open it.
And that is why we train our dogs. Apparently, they are learning.
Pitbulls are not well received in shelters. In some areas, they are euthanized without even having any attempts made to find their owners. Training is not just to make your dogs do neat tricks. It isn't to be mean. Training them can save their lives. Training them keeps them safe from people and an environment that aren't always safe. For pitbulls, training is even more important. They aren't always given much of a chance, even if they are the most lovable dogs ever. Too often, they are judged by what they look like, not by how they really are.
We got very lucky this weekend. If we hadn't been working with them from the time we brought them home, it could have ended very differently.
We were very proud of how well they listened. They totally made us look good.
We don't have any pictures of them getting out- for the obvious reason that the camera was the last thing on our minds. So here are two pictures for a perspective on how much they've grown instead.
They grow so fast. The top pictures was taken the night that we brought them home. Notice how they both fit in the puppy bed together with room to spare. The picture below was taken a few days ago. We stopped using it as an actual bed a while back. They only just lounge on it when Mom is cooking now. I think it's time for a new bed.
RSS Feed