Week 7: So good

Sunday afternoon, 4:30 p.m.
Jack is zonked. Snoozing. Comfortable.

It's tough to be a social butterfly.

He did pretty well in his last class before the finale. He's not quite perfect, but it's his love for trainer Cheryl that lures him from the straight and narrow.

Trainer Larry said it again. Jack might be the one to beat when it comes to medal competition. And now I'm pondering what sort of epic fail might be looming on the horizon. Whatever happens, it's okay. This week, I had to drag Jack to the car to make him leave school. He's enjoyed his friends that much. And I've laughed. A lot.

He was a maniac outside but focused really well, even negotiating an obstacle course of distractions without losing focus on me. Or on the chunk of cheese in my hand.

He likes cheese.

We practiced in the park and I have a public service announcement to parents, grandparents, and anyone who might be in charge of children ever. Don't let them run up to an unknown dog. Ever. There were literally hordes of loud unleashed children in the park on Saturday because it was the perfect day. And I think it's a wonderful place to be loud and run, but over and over they ran right up to us, asking to pet Jack. And whoever was in charge was too far away to do anything (which worries me a bit too because this park's a big place, woodsy, and deserted for long stretches so it seems like adult supervision would be a good thing). Jack's not aggressive, but he was freaked out by the noise and the running, sometimes dragging big sticks and stuff. On him, that looks like sitting between my feet and cowering but it doesn't look like that on every dog. He was fine, and it was good practice for him. If he'd been a different dog, it would have been scary for the kid, the parents, and me. I'll be headed to the park much earlier from now on when we mostly encounter joggers and dog walkers. Jack loves the dogs. And now I'm off the soapbox.