Jude has been with us for about three weeks and is very well behaved, heels nicely, has good recall and has adjusted incredibly well to our family. His weakness is needing to be told to sit more than once and not sitting on a halt. I don't think I would have adjusted so well if someone had snatched me out of my home. I called a local canine training group and told them the situation, in addition to the fact that I have only 4 weeks before I have surgery so signing up for a set number of classes would be impractical. They offerred an advanced class on a drop in basis, pay as you go and the man who answered the phone invited us to that. When I arrived I explained to the woman that I hadn't been to dog obedience classes in at least 8 years and I had no idea what he knew or didn't know. I figured that he hadn't been to class for at least 3 years, maybe longer. The two teachers were very nice and said I would catch on. Jude did great. Again I had to help him sit although he does fine when the verbal command is combined with a hand signal. It could have been the way that he learned. He seemed to have a really good time. I didn't do as well as he did. I didn't "finish him properly", and when he sat, on occasion he didn't sit straight. He on the other hand did wonderful with heeling, sit stays, down stays, recall and minding his own business. In fact, he did better than some of the graduates from their beginners and intermediate classes. Three or four of them had to return to their dogs to enforce a sit or down stay. Near the end of the class a third woman who just attends classes with her dogs and "helps out", said, "there are some things you don't know, you should come back and start in a beginners class". I told her that that wasn't going to happen. I have surgery planned on my rotator cuff and this is what was convenient for Jude and I. I then told her that "he pretty much knows the drill and I am almost as smart as he is, so we should be able to catch up in a couple of weeks". I don't think she liked him. 
. She also said; "I can't believe you came in flip flops". 
I also think that they had their own little group of about 10 dogs and they attend for social reasons and I was new to the group. We will see how it goes.
. She also said; "I can't believe you came in flip flops". I also think that they had their own little group of about 10 dogs and they attend for social reasons and I was new to the group. We will see how it goes.
