CATCH CANINE ACADEMY
By Catherine Comden , CPDT-KA
“ Am I doing this right ? What if I slip and fall ? What if my dog won ’ t stop trying to get to the other dogs ?” These are the thoughts that run through my head as I climb the access ramp up to the dock . My 8-month-old puppy , Bliss , and I are at our first dock-diving class . She ’ s the worst swimming dog I ’ ve ever seen – completely vertical in the water without her life-vest . What the heck were we doing here ? Partly , I wanted to give Bliss a new outlet for her energy . I also wanted to experience being a student , so that I can understand my own students ’ perspective , and to become a better teacher by watching someone else teach . Also , I really needed to refresh myself and partner with my own dog in something fun .
HERE ’ S HOW IT WENT : When I arrived at the facility , I saw a young woman enter the pool yard with her two dogs off leash . I approached the fence . “ Are you here for class ?” she asked . “ Yes ; I know we are really early …” She looked at her watch ( We were more than 20 minutes early !). “ I ’ m just going to give my dogs a break ,” she smiled . “ I understand ; we ’ ll wait outside .”
I watched her play with and train her dogs , noting her great handling and positive reinforcement of their efforts . I confirmed she was the instructor , then got Bliss out of the truck to help her decompress and focus . I thought of all the times my own students had arrived early to class and felt a little more compassion for those early-birds : It ’ s nice , not to rush in , I thought ; It ’ s really nice , to have a little space where I can simply let my dog be a dog , before walking into the class environment . Bliss and I busied ourselves exploring the parking area and sniffy spots .
Soon our instructor , Kara , invited us to enter the yard after she brought her dogs up onto the enclosed dock . We wandered nearer the pool . Bliss sniffed around some , then saw the splash Kara ’ s dog made . From that moment , she was riveted to the action dockside . My treats had zero effect – and I ’ d brought the good ones – the ones that kept her engaged and thinking in a Bass Pro Shops store , just the day before . But . Not . Here . Not with water and splashing and toys being tossed . Ah , that feeling – So , this is how my clients feel : ineffective , and a bit worried that they ’ ll have an out-of-control , not-focusing dog . I can totally relate , now .
The APDT Chronicle of the Dog | Winter 2022 39