Annie getting used to the stuffed dog and some equipment on the floor
Since Annie’s agility class was cancelled due to lack of sign-ups, I decided to move forward with plan B. I had been thinking of working with a private trainer for quite a while – and decided this would be a very good time to move forward with that plan. Yes – private instruction is expensive, but this investment made wisely with a good trainer will pay off in the end. I expect Annie, now 3, will be around for a long time to come (if her great grandma Trudi – 15 1/2 is any indicator), so I owe it to her to do whatever I can to help her become a well-trained, happy dog. Certainly, the investment in time is a given for me… I love spending time with my dogs and working with them. As for the money involved, this is where my priority lies and I’d rather spend it on Annie’s training then on a new outfit or a dinner at an expensive restaurant (I’ll do that later to celebrate Annie’s great outcome!).
I had met our trainer at an orientation she gave for folks planning to take any of the group training classes at the training center. I liked her right away – the way she approaches her training, her manner, her soft spoken voice. It all seemed to click for me and I felt Annie would enjoy working with her.
After our first meeting today, my initial impressions were confirmed. The three of us had a great session in the training center. Annie has to work on overcoming her fear of new places, new people, and strange dogs. Working one-on-one with a good instructor like the one we have will be of great benefit. Our plan is to meet weekly for an hour, adding new experiences each week. Our instructor has high hopes for Annie – and so do I. I could tell that Annie left feeling relaxed and happy. Progress already made.
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