Handling class

So yesterday the FG went out.  To a “handling” class.  Where he learns how to handle my human.  When they go in a beauty pageant. I thought they were done with all that stuff- he got a big yellow ribbon, isn’t that enough?  Turns out the big yellow ribbon gave him 2 points.  He needs 10 points to be a champion.  Einstein is a champion.  I told the FG that one champion per household is enough.  He actually agrees.

When he got to the class he really would have preferred to play with everyone.  But that’s not the goal, so he was on a short leash.  He also lived up to his name - the Friendly Giant - because he TOWERED over all the dogs there.  A Papillon,  a couple of Cavaliers, a Boston Terrier, several Shelties and an Aussie puppy.  You know that old song from Sesame  Street-“one of these things is not like the others...”.  Well that about summed up the class.  He was probably the oldest dog there too.  

For those who have never shown a dog before, but have seen shows like Westminster or Crufts and it looks so easy to run around a ring with your dog...well I’m here to tell you, it’s NOT that easy.  You take a non-graceful human, and put her on the end of a leash with a wily coyote-like creature- and it looks NOTHING like Westminster.  They call it a success if neither of them trips.

Overall, though, the FG was pretty well behaved.  Although...he does get very bored waiting for his turn to run around the ring.  It’s the longest hour of my human’s life.   He lies down while waiting and tries to creep up to the dogs in front of him.  Most girl dogs seemed to think he was “interesting.”   But Jerome, the Boston who is actually much bigger than the FG (in presence!) basically gave the FG the stink eye which means “don’t even THINK of getting in my space.”  The FG didn’t even ATTEMPT to bug Jerome.  He knows better.

After one hour, he and my human were beat, but they still managed to stop at the pet store on the way home.  He came in the door, had his supper and raced into the bedroom to make himself comfortable on my human’s bed.  How can standing around for an hour be THAT exhausting?!

We’re not sure when he’ll be entered again in a real show.  He has two more weeks of classes - and then they will decide.  Maybe when he’s five.

In the meantime, I HEAR he will be doing something ELSE in a few weeks.  You’ll have to wait to hear about this one- it will NO doubt be even MORE entertaining than beauty pageants.   It is happening some time early in April....

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

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