Training at the Club

Today, I took both Bunny and Velvet. Nancy was there again, with a friend, they had half the building set up for agility. Cathy also joined us with Daisy. I told Nancy that Bunny is learning to be more sure of herself in meeting people, and she came over to make Bunny feel comfortable. And Bunny really was very happy to meet her. I very much enjoy having people greet Bunny that way, giving her some treats, talking nice to her and just helping her to be more secure. Sometimes when she is not comfy with a person, she will start barking at them, or she will just hide behind me. She has come a long way, and I attribute that in large parts to the dog club people. I should take Bunny and Velvet to Petsmart sometime, just for training.
I had either Velvet or Bunny in a crate the entire time, and took them out to train one after the other. We got some excellent sit/stays and down/stays (Velvet, Bunny still has a hard time downing at the club), recalls, heeling, attention and for Velvet even a few broad jumps. Bunny got to sniff the broad jump, and got many treats for it. For a while, I fed Bunny just for enduring the see saw noise from the other half of the room. I just waited until the big bang was about to happen, and then fed her the best little treats.
What is funny to me is, that Velvet is trying so hard to meet people and dogs, when she sees them,but once she knows we are in training mode, it seems she has enough self control to contain herself. That is great to know, because I really doubted that for a while. Today, there was a lot of stuff going on, and she worked hard in the midst of it.... well reasonably far away from the actual people, but even in playing or when she jumped over the broad jump, she didn't run in a circle to go and meet the people or dogs in crates, she looked at them, and then paid full attention to me again. This extra training is very, very good for all of us. Bunny of course, I didn't even have to have her on a leash. She doesn't leave my side, unless I tell her to stay. She is excellent. I just wish I knew how to get that same attention in the backyard, and I could never put a leash on her unless we are out walking. I am learning so much!