Ole does the basics

Ole let us sleep in until 6:45 this morning, and it was good. I forgot what it was like. He and Elmo had a great time playing this morning, chasing each other around the living room and running up and down the stairs. It ended with a wrestling match in Abner's closet. That got them both real tuckered out. We did a grooming session and as a reward afterwards did a family walk where I practiced Ole's new found sit and ignore techniques with fast approaching people and things. I've found through the years that if I groom a dog and immediately afterwards do something with him that he really enjoys they quickly begin to enjoy grooming. Just bringing out the brush or nail clippers makes their tails happy wag. With my own dogs, the chance of a car ride or walk is what they like best.
Afterwards, I put Ole in his crater and went off to a private lesson with a lady and her mini Schnauzer and Abner headed off on a day long motorcycle trip with his buddies. Before we left , I turned on a calming music tape for the dogs called Through A Dogs Ears. It really does soothe them. When I got home 2 hours later , all was well . They were relaxed and Ole was quiet and lying down in his crate. We did a potty break , and I fed him lunch and we took a little walk. All walks are training walks so I use every opportunity to show him how to be and react in the big world. If he is concerned about something, I remain calm and let him observe it. When He relaxes and or approaches the scary thing I calmly praise and encourage him.
At night i had a class to teach in Del Mar. As soon as Abner got home, I put Shelly in the car, ( she was demo dog of the day), and left all the guys to fend for themselves. Abner Elmo, and Ole, does that sound like the Midwest or what? We picked up Donna and the three of us taught a beginning class of 6 dogs and owners. After that we drove Donna home , headed home and well the rest of the night was a typical evening of hang out watch a little TV work on the computer, bones for dogs , evening walk for dogs and off to bed