Outdoor Obedience Practice

One of the trials this weekend is being held outdoors. Last summer, most of my training was outdoors. But plans were a bit different this year so we have been doing most of our training at an indoor facility. So in preparation for the many and varied outdoor distractions, I took the boys over to a nearby parking lot to work on some outdoor obedience practice. A school field backs onto this parking lot, so I thought it would be a good place to hone our skills.

Starting with some long sits and downs (see the school play ground full of children in the background?). In case you are wondering, I do normally train stays with the leashes off. But with all the kids around and it being an active (though empty at the moment) parking lot, I didn't want to take any chances, so left the leashes on this time around.



As I was standing silently, mentally willing the boys to keep their sits, I glanced down at the ground and lo and behold ... a PENNY! A very tarnished, but potentially lucky penny! It's a sign ... I'll have to remember to stick this in my pocket before the trials this weekend!


Next was some heel work. And as we were heeling along, I began to think to myself that I see an awful lot of the boys from an upside down viewpoint! Granted, I think I have a better view than they do!
































After a job well done, the boys earned themselves a quick romp in the soccer field!

They ran out ...



They ran in ...



And they ran round and round and round!