Games Day

Every year, Miles and I attend our training center’s annual games day. Games day is a fun open house with an hour of activities for every dog age group, an open BBQ, and informative training demos. This was Miles’ third time going, and every year, I notice the changes in him and us. Last year Miles was almost 2. He was extremely excited about being around all of the other dogs, very hyper and distractable. This time, Miles was almost 3 years old, and our hard work has really paid off. Miles was excited, but focused on me. As a little team, we’ve definitely both matured, and hit a nice stride.

First, our age group went to the agility room for a quick tutorial in the agility game Gamblers. Miles was so excited to have his turn running the course, that he barely noticed the other dogs. He kept looking up at me like “is it my turn yet?!?! Now?!?” Gamblers is Miles’ strong point in agility, because it involves doing as many random obstactles as possible in a short set time period, and then after that, running a short course from a distance. Crazy random speed and distance work are Miles’ favorite things in agility.

Every year, bobbing for hotdog chunks is Miles’ least favorite game. He hates the messy water everywhere, and thinks it is a lot of trouble for small pieces. He is such a wimp, lifting up his feet to avoid getting them wet, and being unhappy about a soaked beard…

Finally, our group moved to the obedience/puppy room where we practiced the “touch” command with a trainer. It is very simple. You simply reward your dog when they touch the desired target — in this case, my hand.