- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
So, back in the summer Cassie and I did a 4 week session of Dog Club at our wonderful local dog training school. I can't speak highly enough of them, they really are so good! We did scent club with them back last winter and while very good I felt we couldn't take it any further -- for one Cass wants to bring something back not just indicate the scent, and for another she actually got over stimulated by it I think, crying and whining in the car on the way home (not normal behaviour for her) and being like a coiled spring and not being able to settle down once we got home. I'm pleased we did it because now I have additional games to play in the house on short winter days.
Dog Club suits us really well, mental stimulation without overload. The idea is that half the class we do "life skills" and the other half consists of "tricks" or a basic introduction to dog sports manouvres
. For instance today we were brushing up on heel position by learning to pivot -- absolutely new to me and Cass , we had no idea! Also going round a cone and snapping into heel position and using a placeboard, which Cass is quite familiar with. We started off with 30 seconds of high arousal games immediately followed by 30 seconds of stillness -- challenging!
I really love our walks, but she honestly doesn't need the physical exercise these days and in fact in the very wet weather we.ve had over recent months I really got the feeling she'd rather be at home! Now that it's gone drier and colder she seems to get more out her time outside.
So this really fits the bill for us, plus it is in the daytime which is good. We've been home an hour, not yet teatime, I gave her an oxtail chew, lit the fire and she's curled up contentedly - all the while with one eye on me, should I get up to get her tea
Dog Club suits us really well, mental stimulation without overload. The idea is that half the class we do "life skills" and the other half consists of "tricks" or a basic introduction to dog sports manouvres

I really love our walks, but she honestly doesn't need the physical exercise these days and in fact in the very wet weather we.ve had over recent months I really got the feeling she'd rather be at home! Now that it's gone drier and colder she seems to get more out her time outside.
So this really fits the bill for us, plus it is in the daytime which is good. We've been home an hour, not yet teatime, I gave her an oxtail chew, lit the fire and she's curled up contentedly - all the while with one eye on me, should I get up to get her tea
