Hel’s Advanced obedience

Kiki glanced one last time at her reflection in the mirror. She had pulled her bubblegum pink hair high on the top of her head into a long ponytail that touched her shoulder blades. She was taking Hel to another obedience class and didn’t want the hair to get in her face or her way. The first class she had taken Hel to went successfully. She was surprised at how well the two worked together. Hel seemed eager to learn these new and complex tasks and wanting to appease. Kiki turned to her looking down. “Are you ready girl?” She was met with happy pats of her tail on the wood floor boards.
Hel had paced the length of their home several times, not that it was a lot since they lived in a pretty modest home in the city. She was eagerly awaiting the girls que to leave. She had heard the girl telling the other human at the training class last time that they would be back. Hel had waited many moons it felt like to go back. The whole thing was very fun for her. The girl would ask her to do something easy like stand at her side and look at her and then Hel would get a treat. Then she’d do it again and get another treat it was an awesome experience that Hel was eager to go back to. She wondered what the girl might have instore for her next. Hel was a smart and motivated hound so she would do great at whatever task was put in front of her. When the girl spoke to her Hel did all she could to keep from howling. As she had learned that it was slightly annoying to the girl. Of course she was ready ‘hope you brought enough treats’ Hel thought looking at the girl.
It was a quick walk to the training center. Hel trotting at the same walking speed as Kiki. She had learned quickly to slow her gait down to an even step with her handler. Reaching the training center the field outside had some cones lining the center and a few little obstacles within the cones. Kiki smiled widely at the trainer who stood by the cones waving at them as they approached. “So glad you made it “ the chipper voice of the trainer said. “Of course we wouldn’t miss it for the world right girl?” Kiki replied looking over to Hel who tapped her paws happily. They entered the little area that had been marked off with cones. “Where do we start?” Kiki asked turning to the trainer.

“First,” the trainer began. “We are going to go over what we learned at the last class to make sure your hound retained the work we put in.” Kiki nodded seems reasonable enough. She put her hand down at her left side and Hel bopped it. She then began walking keeping her hand down at her side. Hel walked tightly pressed against her eyes looking up at Kiki focused the entire time. They walked the full length of the clearing and back like this. With her other hand she reached into her pouch she carried around her waist and got a small treat and gave it to Hel. “Yes! Break!” She called and Hel hopped out of place play bowing with her front end low to the ground and her back end high and loose swaying with her tail. Kiki faced her and put her hand out flat palm facing the ground. Hel responded by laying down and resting her head on her paws watching Kiki’s moves carefully. “Good work girls!” The trainer cheered. “Okay now we’re going to take what we learned and use it to add on a few more steps.” Hel and Kiki both watched the trainer closely.

“So while your keeping Hel in. A down position your going to turn you back to her and walk down the length of the field. When you get half way down you will, without stopping you will use that hand sign I showed you that you e been using for heel to recall her and walk the rest of the length get to the end turn with her in position. Then walk half way back put her in down stay walk back to me recall her from her down to sit in front of you. Sound good?” Kiki recalled the steps in her head nodding as she solidified them. Hel was already in down stay so that was a good start. Kiki turned on her heel and started walking with he back to the ever watchful Hel. When she reached the halfway mark she had already marked in her mind she put her left hand down at her side not missing a step. Within a few seconds she felt Hel’s nose touch her hand and felt the familiar weight of the hound pressing tightly on her side as they walked. When she reached the end of the field she turned fully keeping Hel tight to her heel and instep. They began walking back. Once again hitting the halfway point. Kiki moved her hand so that he palm was flat and facing the ground. Instantly Hel dropped down. Kiki could feel Hel’s eyes on her back as she walked the rest of the length of the field. She then spun on her heel and pointed to the spot in front of her. Like lightning Hel was in the position, Kiki closed her hand and Hel sat down. Looking sideways to the trainer Kiki watched her nod. “Break!” She called quickly pulling a handful of treats out of her bag giving them to hell along with head pats. “Good girl, good job!” Kiki praised Hel the hound soaking it in.

Hel was in down stay while the two humans spoke. She didn’t know a lot of the words but she watched her handlers hands for commands. Suddenly the girl turned her back to Hel and began to walk away. ‘Should I go?’ Hel questioned her muscles twitching thinking. She hadn’t been given the world that usually signified that she was done with her position. ‘Has the girl forgotten about me?’ Hel questioned still watching the girls back as she got father away. Then she saw it. The girls hand started to move down to her left side and Hel tore up racing over to her spot. She touched the girls hand as she had been trained to do and pressed her side against the girls side. She remembered the first time she had done this she had nearly knocked the frail girl over so Hel was more careful now when she walked. She kept her eyes up on her handler as they walked. They spun in a circle and Hel kept a tight gait next to her. They began to walk back down to the trainer Hel fell into a rhythm. She was still watching when the girls hand came down and Hel immediately dropped. ‘Ha thought you were gonna trick me with that huh?’ She gloated in her head at her good work. She kept her eye on her trainers back her muscles aching in anticipation she was ready for whatever the girl threw at her. Hel watched as the girl faced her pointing to the ground. ‘That’s my cue!’ Hel soared through the air bounding over to the girl watching the hand closing she put her hind quarters on the ground and looked. When she heard her release word and was sequentially given hand fulls of treats her tail wagged fast. She knew she was a good girl, she was the best girl.