Puppy training

[Stacy]

I just signed Maggie up for a class in scent work that starts next month and I'm super excited. This is something I've never experienced. I hope she likes it. We might be getting the tiniest bit tired of walking around in circles, though she loves class. Something different might be fun. 

I also signed Willow up for puppy class. She will be 5 months when it starts. It's later than I would like - I would like to start today. But that's when the next class starts. She has a solid sit and down already. And today I taught her to sit from standing. And she's learning stand. She also has half of a roll over and comes nicely when called. I've put her on leash a tiny bit. Of course she wants to eat it. And sitting beside me instead of in front of me is new and different. 

So my question, if you've made it this far, is should I just keep doing what I'm doing and wait for the class or have the private trainer come out for a couple sessions before? I'm not a great trainer, but I know a couple things. I'm not sure if it would be helpful to still have him come out. 

The second part of this is, what else should we be working on in the meantime? I got out the Nina Ottoson puzzle and she got it. I also put some kibble in one of the square kong toys and she had fun with that. But I want her to have all the experiences and really expand her brain while she's still young. I was thinking maybe work on touch. And there used to be a game called 101 things to do with a box (or something like that.) Where they offer behaviors and you treat for that. 

I have such big plans for this little girl! I would like to see her be one of those dogs that gets her CGC at 6 months old. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

That face..... Hate mud but she's oh so adorable.

[Stacy]

Whenever they're naughty I tell them it's a good thing they're cute. You should have seen my tub when she was clean again!

Because I'm obsessed with photos of them right now: 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Those are the cutest photos of them.  They really bonded immediately.  It's funny that sometimes it takes a while (like Clancy and Gordie, my beloved Springer) and sometimes it's pretty much immediate (like Charlie and both Ned and Clancy), but a strong bond still forms.