[Class] Advanced Obedience

Ever since they had begun to do regular obedience practice, life had become so much better. Almost enough for Rob to call it smooth sailing. Things weren't perfect, and some days, Rob would look at Ollie and Landfall and wonder what he could do to match them. Those two had really found a groove for themselves, and Rob often watched with no small amount of envy as he watched Landfall trot along unhurriedly behind Ollie as he went for a walk around the block, unconcerned by the possibility of his hound rushing out into the street and being killed by a passing carriage.

 

Leeward wasn't quite there. In fact, Rob wasn't convinced he would ever get her to become a reliable off-leash creature. She had such a hurried presence about her, such a need to be anywhere but right where she currently was, that she didn't often think things through before bolting off. Her paws moved faster than her brain, if he had to put it simply.  And in the wrong situation, that might well prove fatal. 

 

Rob didn't want to think about Leeward ever getting hurt because of his own negligence. So he had spoken to Ollie about joining the training guild himself, so he could make sure that Leeward was as well trained as he could possibly get her to be. If he put in the effort, then at least he wouldn't be able to blame himself if something happened.

 

"Come on, you little devil," he said, shaking her leash so the metal clip jangled. It was better than whistling. The orange hound was at his side in a flash, tail thwacking left and right and shaking her entire back end. "We're going to another training class tonight."

 

And they could practice a little on the way there if they needed. Not longer did she do her best to drag him down the street, but he did have to remember to carefully manage her before she got too excited about anything.

 

"Sit."

 

That one she was getting good at. Leeward promptly dropped her butt to the floor, panting happily while she waited for him to open the door. Rob had her stay put so he could step out first, then released her by patting his leg. He put her into a sit again before the steps, closed the door, and the two of them walked down together.

 

"Good girl, Leeward. Heel," he said, shortening the lead to a comfortable length. Leeward to her place with her head by his hip, and they walked along, stopping once in a while to check in and reward. She was being a perfect angel today, for which Rob felt infinitely grateful. This was a sign that the class would go quite well.

 

It only took them fifteen minutes to arrive at the training guild headquarters. This class was to be conducted inside. Rob navigated his way through the halls until he found the sign, and entered the room. Inside, the trainer had set up several stations for the class to rotate through, each with a different set of distractions for different tasks.

 

"Today, we'll work on building duration in some of our simpler tasks, and on refining the respond time as you mix different commands," she said with a smile to the assembled class. Going down the line, she divided them into four groups. "By the end of today's class, you will have practiced hopefully a bunch of different things to add to your training sessions at home."

 

Rob gathered up Leeward's leash and joined his group, giving a nod to two of the other handlers whose faces he recognized. They made their way toward their first station, where each dog had a small raised platform where they could practice a place and an individual recall.

 

"Leeward, place," said Rob, indicating to her platform. The orange hound immediately leaped on the box and sat down, staring back at him intently as she waited for her release cue. The other dogs joined her, and they all sat for a minute until the handlers began to call their own hounds back. "Leeward, come!"

 

She sprang off her perch as if she hadn't moved in absolute days, flinging herself into the air and sprinting over to him with unbridled joy. Rob laughed and grabbed her face, scrunching her cheeks back and forth enthusiastically. "Good girl!" he said giving the base of her horns a friendly tug. One task down, three to go, and the night was starting out right.