The Graduate

Nikita passed her final exam with flying colors yesterday, acing five of the six components -- sit, sit-stay, down, down-stay, and come -- and doing a respectable job at the other -- a long walk by my side through a glass-walled, distraction-filled room. I was so proud.


Alot of the credit has to go to Rita, the South Loop Petsmart's crack trainer. She had an incredible way with the puppies, and was great with their people too, doing everything from teaching us how to keep their ears clean to debating the merits of Cesar Millan's approach to dog psychology. N and I are sad we won't be around to take her "teenager" class next term...

It was also fun watching the other puppies grow up and (for the most part =) improve. From left in the photo, Sadie the chocolate Lab, Peanut the Beagle mix, and Gambler the American Stratfordshire Terrier, plus Chanel the Boxer and Rocco the black Dachshund mix who weren't able to make it, were all really sweet and cute. The Chinese dude with Tiger the crazy German Shepherd thankfully didn't switch into my class after all, so I was relieved of further translating duties and able to concentrate on actually learning.

To celebrate N's accomplishment, I gave her a treat from the goodie bag we got then put on the magic wrestle-sweatshirt and let her have at me until she wore herself out.

Now I just need to be good about keeping up with her training...