Shadow Paws is the youngest dog in our 4-H club's dog project. Wyatt isn't exactly a senior member, either. But it is okay, Shadow will be a year old by the deadline in the Spring before fair, and they will grow up and learn together. He will train her from the ground up, which will be a great learning experience.
Still, she is so very high energy and so quickly overstimulated when the dogs and youth gather at the ramada before the meeting. Today, there was a game in the next field over, and Shadow was more interested in the game than in sitting still. Above, the youth are all lined up with their dogs. One of the behaviors today involved getting the dog to sit, while the youth stepped away a few yards, cuing the dog to stay and wait, before calling them to come. The other dogs sat nicely, and as soon as Wyatt got far enough, Shadow would run to the next dog over to get it to play. Below, Wyatt is redirecting her, one of several times today.
The whole thing is a learning process for the two of them, and a good growing experience. Fortunately, the other parents and the leader are very patient and accepting and remind me that the other dogs have experience and she isn't terrible. They are all so genuinely sweet and accepting of our little class clown. I am so thankful!
Now, as Wyatt sits at the dining table working on his book project, Shadow is out cold in the floor at the end of the table. It takes a lot of energy to be that silly, now she has to recharge her batteries for their pre-dinner game of fetch.
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