Sunday, December 19, 2010

My Snack O' Meter

by The Waffler

Well today we dodged a major bullet today. I hesitate to say this but my snack o meter almost hit full today. I know many of you thought that was impossible on a lab, but today I went to my 1st agility class. Actually it was an intro to agility we got to try out the tire jump, A frame, the tunnel and the double hurtle type jump things. Rules for the class were simple, no corrections, lots of praise and a huge handful of treats! I could hardly believe my ears, I had to shake them to make sure I heard right. No corrections and treats just for trying. WOOO HOOO sign me up!

So being a good guide dog (well almost Guide Dog) I was taught NOT to take the blind person into obstacles but around them, I had to learn that when it is just you - and they tell you to- you're supposed to go through the round thingy. After a few tries I got it right and bingo a nice snack jackpot! I liked the double jump too, it was fun to run around and leap over things. My friend Marie was a little hesitant at first, they gave her lots of treats and instruction, so by time it was my turn I knew what I was supposed to do. Marie really didn't want to go up the A frame they put her treats on each bar and told her what to do. I was just so excited I wanted to jump up their an give it a try (and gobble up her treats) I knew BFF had a whole handful of treats, I knew what I was supposed to do and when it was my turn I shot up the A frame gobbling snack up as I went. I wanted to go back the other way for more snacks. The tunnel was just as fun too, but it smelled like pee.

BFF brought carrots and these snacky sausage roll stuff from natural balance, plus I eat the snacks Marie spit out (silly poodle) and the nice smelly fishy snacks the people running the class gave me.  yuuuummmm  - then the best dog day dream happened - no a frosty paws truck and liver snack truck did not collide in-front of my house - but the person in front of me dodged left and her dog dodged right and her bag of treats flew in the air! It was raining dog treats! nom nom nom nom all good!

I tell you at the end of class my snack o meter was pretty full - in fact I was one full Labrador but shhhhsshhh don't let BFF know. I had so much fun, I laid on top of her and made her promise to sign me up for the full 5 week class (every sunday) (Carrie: and let me tell you those classes are not cheap. Intro class 1 hour $27 each ouch! its like yoga class! this will not be a cheap hobby)


So I tell all yous Labbies out there drag your people to the nearest agility class - they serve cookies!

3 comments:

Dexter said...

Oh yeah, PeeWee is total nutso for agilities. He gets excited just seeing the equipment come out. It is total funballs from what I hear. Me? One obstacle is plenty.

You just be careful on that A-frame and make sure you hit the contact points, OK?

Slobbers,
Mango

Erin said...

Can I sign up? I wanna sign up! That sounds like so .much more fun than the guide dog thing

~Pompei

Infrequent Flyers said...

Waffle, you are so lucky to have a full snack o'meter AND get to take agility! We are going to have to give that a try one of these days, but you're right, it's not cheap.